The September 11 Photo Project
Like many people in the wake of the September 11 tragedy, Michael Feldschuh felt helpless and frustrated and wanted to do something. Immensely moved by the impromptu shrines and fragile remembrances all over the city, Feldschuh, an amateur photographer and Wall Street professional, thought of something to do. He quickly initiated the September 11 Photo Project. Within weeks, his idea to create a space for the community to collaboratively, in his words, "bear witness" to the horrific events, was open to the public. A huge donated space in SoHo, mere blocks from the World Trade Center site, served as a gallery. Over the next few months, more than 40,000 people visited the gallery to look, read, participate, and mourn. Thousands of people contributed photographs, text, and collages. This book is a collection of images from this important social project. Its proceeds will be used to support a traveling exhibition of the project and the New York City Firefighters Burn Center Foundation. Of course the images are heart-wrenching: handwritten notes remembering missing loved ones, messages written in dust at the site, clouds of smoke, frightened faces. The pictures--some taken with disposable cameras, with accompanying text written on paper scraps--are immensely personal, yet the images capture the devastated mood and feelings of a nation.--J.P. Cohen