<I>Ground zero the pit</I>
date: label: Date
content: 2000s
name: label: Created by
content: Elizabeth "Queen Ann" Burnett, American
notes: label: Caption
content: This shadowbox artwork was created by Elizabeth “Queen Ann” Burnett as part of her therapy recovering from trauma caused by working at the World Trade Center “Ground Zero” site in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks in 2001. A member of the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), Burnett worked as an operating engineer maintaining and operating the heavy equipment used in the clean-up efforts. Growing up in New York City, Burnett was drawn to the construction trades and became a dock builder at the age of 18. Despite facing racial and gender discrimination, she landed an apprenticeship with the IUOE Local 15 in 1993 and began working all over New York City and New Jersey as an operating engineer.
label: Caption
content: Burnett began working in Ground Zero shortly after the World Trade Center collapsed. For nearly a year, she worked 12, 24, and, even, 36-hour shifts helping to remove 1.6 million tons of construction materials, and human remains, from the site. She’s one of the many women and men working on the clean-up site who suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In an effort to cope, she converted the back of her SUV to an art studio and began handcrafting her unique shadowbox artworks.
label: Caption
content: This artwork and the other artifacts from Burnett in the NMAAHC collection serve as important reminders of the sacrifices of the thousands of round-the-clock construction workers who helped America to rebuild after a grievous loss.
label: Description
content: A shadow box with gold-colored frame depicting the cleanup of the World Trade Center "Ground Zero" site in New York City. The shadowbox diorama was created by Elizabeth "Queen Ann" Burnett, an operating engineer at the site, as part of her therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder.
label: Description
content: A large piece of glass is suspended over the scene, and the interior walls of the shadow box are covered in images from Ground Zero depicting surrounding buildings and piles of debris. The diorama poses miniature replicas of heavy machinery as they move and haul debris beneath a large fragment of glass suspended at top center. At left is the darkened facade of one of the World Trade Center buildings, with twisted metal spires rising from the rubble. At center, a demolition excavator with extended orange boom holds a piece of debris aloft. At right, a yellow loader deposits debris into a red dump truck. Miniature figures are depicted jackhammering, operating equipment, watching the scene, and wearing military fatigues and police uniforms. The interior walls of the shadowbox are covered in images of Ground Zero depicting debris and remaining buildings surrounding the site. A label on bottom left ledge of the frame, black text on blue paper, reads [Ground zero the pit].
label: Description
content: On the back of the shadowbox at top center is a sawtooth hanger, and back at bottom left and right corners are felt pads. A strip of coarse white material adhered to the bottom of the box. There is a small loss from frame at bottom left corner.
place: label: Place depicted
content: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
title: label: Title
content: Shadow box depicting Ground Zero created by Elizabeth "Queen Ann" Burnett
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Art
label: Topic
content: Health
label: Topic
content: Labor
label: Topic
content: Mental health
label: Topic
content: Skilled labor
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 2001-
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Visual Arts
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Elizabeth "Queen Ann" Burnett, Operating Engineer
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2021.68.4
objectType: label: Type
content: dioramas
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: © Elizabeth "Queen Ann" Burnett
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: plastic with glass, paper, and metal
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 9 13/16 × 14 × 5 9/16 in. (25 × 35.5 × 14.2 cm)