Photo credit: Michael Hnatov
Accession Number: C.2024.83.1
Dimensions: 12 ft X 46 3/4 in X 1 1/2 in
Dimensions (Metric): 30.48 cm X 116.84 cm X 2.54 cm
Credit Line: Gift of Leadership and Public Service High School
"Resolve, Rebuild, Remember and Hope I"
Description
Acrylic on canvas framed mural titled Resolve, Rebuild, Remember and Hope I. The mural depicts a central image of firefighter wearing a mask around his neck and looking up at a cloud of dust and floating papers. Surrounding the firefighter are scenes of chaos and figures in distress. The reverse is stretched fabric with hand painted text that reads:
“Confused Paper | Flying Someone | Starting to cry | Down the street | Not Too Far | from me | Windows bend | Like they are | Plastic A | BIG cloud of | Dirt ASHES | My ATMOSPHERE | Breaking apart | Everything is going | SO FAST | People running | Why is this | Happening to us?”
Historical Notes
The High School for Leadership and Public Service (HSLPS) is located just south of the World Trade Center, and many students witnessed the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 from the windows of their upper-level classrooms. This mural is one of a pair that students painted upon their return to their school building after temporarily relocating during the recovery period at Ground Zero. The first panel of the mural focuses on the events of the day and 9/11 stories through the lens of experiences unique to HSLPS students. The second panel of the mural looks at the aftermath of 9/11 and notions of reconciling and moving forward. The mural is a visual confirmation of HSLPS’s mission: motivating students to make contributions towards improving society and enriching the lives of others and themselves.