Kevin Bubriski's World Trade Center Series: Photographing the Gaze at Ground Zero
The World Trade Center Series by Kevin Bubriski, currently displayed at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, documents Ground Zero in the aftermath of the 2001 attacks, intentionally omitting images of planes and smoldering buildings. These black-and-white gelatin silver prints highlight the reactions of onlookers—men, women, and children—witnessing the devastation during October and November 2001. This collection alters the 9/11 visual narrative, shifting focus from well-known symbols to the poignant emotions of individuals confronting their reality. Bubriski captures the act of observing, underscoring the personal aspect of shared sorrow. His work reinterprets September 11, transforming it from a series of recognizable visuals into a nuanced human experience, inviting viewers to reflect on the moment.
Fatti principali
- Kevin Bubriski's World Trade Center Series is now part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection.
- The photographs were taken in October and November 2001, in the weeks after the September 11 attacks.
- The series focuses on people observing Ground Zero, not on the planes, the towers, or the moment of impact.
- The images are black-and-white gelatin silver prints.
- One photograph shows two women looking upward, one covering her mouth, the other with arms crossed and chin on hand, plus a third figure behind them.
- Another image features two elderly men in close-up, one with a hand to his face, the other with arms folded, both looking off-camera.
- Bubriski photographs the act of watching rather than what was watched, shifting the visual narrative of 9/11.
- The series captures expressions of incredulity, pain, bewilderment, and sometimes unreal calm, avoiding theatricality.
Entità
Artisti
- Kevin Bubriski
Istituzioni
Luoghi
- New York City
- United States
- Ground Zero