9/11 Memorial

9/11 Memorial

9/11 changed New York City. Many security systems and artists express how sad 9/11 was in different ways: “The artists range from seasoned professionals to novices inspired to express their reactions to 9/11 through painting, drawing, writing, music, and more ” (9/11 Memorial Museum). What amazes me the most are the World Trade Center reflecting pools and the names of the deceased which are not in alphabetical order. The design is unique, two square pools with a cascade of water. The pools are surrounded by trees and it represents the absence of the twin towers. “They are large voids, open and visible reminders of the absence” (World Trade Center Site; Memorial Competition). It is interesting that the names of the deceased are not in alphabetical order. Perhaps that is part of the design. Both, the reflecting pools and the name of the deceased are visual art. However, why do the pools have square shapes? Square for some artists represents body. For example, David Smith's Cubi V represents his daughter Rebecca. the central square in the sculpture represents a torso. Cubi V not only represents body but balance as well.

The 9/11 memorial pools represent the body of the World Trade Center towers and the deceased: “Most significantly, the footprints of the original World Trade Center towers have been turned into two square, below-ground reflecting pools, each nearly an acre, fed from all sides by waterfalls that begin just above ground level and bordered by continuous bronze panels inscribed with the names of those who died there and in Washington and Pennsylvania.” (The New York Times). At this point we might conclude that the square shape of the pools represents the bodies of the deceased. Another famous artist who used geometric shapes on his art works was Malevich Kasimir. “He created nonobjective paintings composed of bare geometric forms—often just a single square on the flatly painted surface” (Infoplease; Casimir Malevich). Perhaps the designer was inspired by cubism artist such as David Smith and Malevich Kasimir. Both the reflecting pools of the 9/11 memorial and the names of the deceased represent the combination of cubism and modern art.