The Art Inspired by September 11th, 2001

Creativity is often born out of the ashes of tragedy. Modernism took its form in the wake of World War I, the Beat Generation in the shadow of the Bomb, so it comes as no surprise that the tragedies of the past 15 years have inspired art as well.

Twelve years ago today, the United States experienced its greatest atrocity: the attack on the World Trade Center in New York City. In remembrance, I would like to take a moment to look at some of the artwork that was inspired by and affected by that tragic day and its lasting aftermath.

Wolfe von Lenkiewicz’ “House of Mourning”

This beautiful pencil drawing depicts two butterflies emerging from the damaged towers. The artist seems to be representing how even after a tragedy that makes the world feel like it’s standing still, new life emerges and carries on.

Barron Claiborne’s “Osama Bin Laden Destroyed My Photographs”

This collection is of photographs were taken by the artist years before the September 11^th attacks but were then “destroyed” by the debris that filled New York that day. According to Claiborne, he put the altered photographs in a shoebox after he discovered them, and never took another look at them until 2010. You can check out the full collection on Barron’s website.

Ultra Violet’s “IX XI”

This impressive aluminum sculpture pays tribute by spelling “nine eleven” in Roman numerals: IX XI. The two numbers are stacked and painted red in the fashion of the famous Love Park sculpture in Philadelphia.

Serhat Tanyolacar’s “Kiss”

This remarkable and thoughtful sculpture depicts two Jubbah’s, traditional Islamic garments, wrapped around each other, as if worn by two people embracing in a kiss. This powerful image reminds us that we are all humans, and that we should not let fear spark prejudices against entire cultures because of the heinous actions caused by few.

William Basinski’s “The Disintegration Loop”

William Basinski’s “Disintegration Loop” was an experimental music project that involved him attempting to salvage old audio magnetic tapes by transferring them to a digital format. In the process of the transfer, the tape being looped repeatedly had completely deteriorated to the point of falling apart. Basinski finished the project the morning of the attack on the World Trade Center. He first listened to his haunting tape loop as he watched and filmed the smoke billowing from the two buildings from the roof of his Brooklyn apartment.

Eric Blome’s “Sept. 11 Tribute Sculpture”

This heroic sculpture depicts the men and women who were first-responders when the attacks happened. Blome used actual pieces of material from Ground Zero to complete this piece. This dedication to theses brave people shows the true integrity of the human spirit; the willingness of self-sacrifice to save the lives of others.