Erica Uhlenbeck (New York, NY), "All of you taking photos…," gelatin silver print mouted on fiberboard, 20 x 20 inches, 2001. This handwritten sign taped to a fence makes one stop and think about the urge to memorialize this event in photographs.


Erica Uhlenbeck (New York, NY)

Untitled

Gelatin silver prints mounted on fiberboard
20 x 20 inches
2001
Courtesy the artist

The photographs selected for this exhibition are part of a larger group of work done in the weeks following the events of September 11th.

They document the shrines and memorials that sprung up spontaneously throughout the city. They also document the extent to which New Yorkers communicated publicly in writing with each other, touching on subjects like patriotism, fear, religious feelings and political positions. The thoughts expressed reflect my own perplexed feelings at the time.

Most of these signs have disappeared and the "look" of that temporarily changed city is now a part of our collective memory.

I have rarely felt so compelled to take to the streets as during that time. The outpouring of unscripted emotions held such fascination that I wanted to be sure I would be able to remember these unusual conditions South of 14th street, where I live. Certainly photographs help us do that. Only later did I become aware that this was one of the most photographed events in history and my photographs were part of a vast body of work on the subject; therefore they are hardly unique. Maybe this is at the heart of any documentary project.

The actual photographing was done with very little thought for Art concerns. Only later during printing and editing did that come into play.