Audrey Piehl
Arts & Entertainment Editor
A little over a decade after the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, more and more examples of remembrance of those who passed have cropped up around the United States and beyond. Though a relatively new memorial stands proudly at Ground Zero itself, senior Bryan James also created emotionally provocative art, all in the pursuit of revering those who delve into the chaos of that infamous Tuesday.
“Last March I saw the Technology Entertainment Design (TED) conference given by the Parisian graffiti artist JR,” Bryan explained. “He won the TED prize of $100,000 and decided to use the money to make a global art project, called the Inside Out Project, of portraits of people around the world. I wanted to participate but I didn’t have an idea of whose portraits I wanted to use until Mr. Webb gave my class the 9/11 memorial assignment.” The project he is speaking of was one given to 2010-2011 AP United States history students to design a 9/11 memorial.
For both aesthetic and sentimental reasons, Bryan decided to base his memorial on JR’s Inside Out Project template. “The Inside Out Project wanted the subject’s face to be the art, so they wanted all of the photos to be in black and white and mainly of just the face. I used a Canon D-SLR camera I borrowed from my classmate, senior Ned Berman, to take the photographs. I used the Apple photo application, Aperture, to edit the to the right contrast and exposure I thought expressed the first responders faces best,” he said.
Since the photographs have been shifted from the YMCA to the high school, the response has been potent. “Teachers have spoken to me about recognizing EMT Troy Haynie. Students who know senior Jake Socci should recognize his father, Michael Socci, in the collection,” Bryan said.
Overall, Bryan’s work is both admirable and creative, granting the onlooker a new way to appreciate those who sacrificed their well-being for their fellow man. “I hope to make the heroes of 9/11 from New Canaan more known to the students coming up through the high school who weren’t necessarily aware of what happened on 9/11 when it did,” Bryan continued. “I hope that students take the time to appreciate what those individuals who are photographed did for their country and community in a time of crisis.”
