September 11, 2001 happened ten years ago and I can still remember it like it was yesterday. I was in the fifth grade and I remember our panic stricken teachers trying to keep calm. But they couldn't hide it, the phones kept ringing, my classmates were being picked up one by one and then finally my mother picked me up. That day my life changed forever. It was ten years ago, but I'm not over it. I lost my favorite uncle on that day. Writing this blog was something very hard for me to do and I did post pone it. But I realized maybe it is time to talk about it.
I currently work in a cancer hospital and every day I meet people who were affected by 9/11. It is one of the most positive effects from 9/11 because I get to interact with patients everyday. I get to hear their stories and try my best to be there for them. My favorite are the FDNY, they are truly heroes. I feel incredibly lucky to know them. The negative element from my life would be losing my uncle. He was that cool uncle. The one who would let you do and try all the stupid things parents wouldn't let you. Losing him was one of the hardest things in my life. I learned to appreciate my family and I also learned to take chances.
Going to PS1 my favorite art piece was "The Forty Part Motet" by Janet Cardiff. It was amazing. 40 different speakers with 40 different voices. When you go stand by each one you hear the differences between each voice but when you stand in the middle of the room they all blend together. Cardiff wanted to us to hear the piece through a performers view point. Letting us hear a section at a time, and then giving us the entire choir all at once. It somehow made me think of 9/11 because while all our stories are different just like the 40 singers, we all came together in the end.
When I saw ''Untitled (Questions)'' by Barbara Kruger it immediately caught my attention. And I know that is what she wanted when she made this. The bright colors, the bold letters and in the shape of an American flag, something we all can recognize. All the questions, despair and confusion. I think I can speak for all of us that that's how we all felt after 9/11. But also enraged and ready to fight for our country. The questions on this piece were meant to make us question whats really going on around us. Wake us up and remind us it's not over. Troops are still fighting. And it's awesome, hopefully it will wake some people up.
At the Laguardia M building, the piece that stood out to me the most was "Medium: Black Plastic Body Bags" by Cris Cristofaro. The bags were open and empty. Meant to signify the people who died on that day. But they were left open because most of the people had burned to ashes. Living in New York the day after 9/11 the air was disgusting. It was foggy and you could taste and smell the difference. That day I was 9 years old and I realized this fog were literally the people who died, dust and other disintegrated materials.
9/11 was a day that tore our country apart. But it also brought us back together. It woke some individuals up and made them aware of our surroundings and our government. I can only hope that we continue to learn and be a generation that changes everything for the better. The people who died on 9/11 will never be forgotten, but it is up to us to make sure of that. To tell their stories and keep them alive through memory.
"The Forty Part Moet"
By Janet Cardiff
2001
"Untitled (questions)''
By Barbara Kruger
2008
"Medium: Black Plastic Body Bags"
By Cris Cristofaro
2001
High function art to me is art that a viewer can interact with, art that can make the viewer see things differently or appreiciate things they never have before. Everyone in New York has used the MTA atleast once. This makes the ''Metro Card Vending Machine'' one the most used machines. Making it Highly Functional. There are atleast two at every station and atleast one for credit/debit cards. While there is always someone in the booth, alot of people rather go straight to the machine. I feel that they are faster than the teller and you also skip the sometimes akward small talk. Everyone takes the metrocard machines for granted, but if we had none imagine the lines? You'd have to leave an hour early just to get a metrocard.
Low function art to me is art that is just there. Taking up space, art that is simple and nice to look at. One of the pieces I saw at MoMa that were low function to me was ''The Talk to Yourself Hat.'' Really? When i first saw I thought it was some sort of alien contraption. I thought it was stupid. Let's be honest who is really going to use this? It is a hat with a speaker inside, and a mic that comes form the back to front of your head so you can speak into it. The second low functional piece was ''Mutter Hat'' by the same artist. Maybe this was just a bad day for her. This hat consists of two speakers that play a pre-recorded mutter. Who wants to hear muttering? These two hats for me aren't realistic. I dont think I would ever see anything seriously owning and using these two pieces. I would consider these low functionality.