”Open to Interpretation: Park Slope, Brooklyn 9/11 2001 & 2011” Jerome Krase

Emeritus & Murray Koppelman ProfessorBrooklyn College CUNY

International Visual Sociology AssociationSt. Francis College

Brooklyn, New YorkJuly 2012

In the wake of the horrible images with which I was bombarded in the media by the destruction of the Twin Towers I vowed not to photograph scenes of the tragedy in Manhattan. However, I found great comfort in the way that my friends and neighborhoods symbolically transformed the streetscapes in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Since 9/11/01, every year during the first or second week after the commemorated event, I have retraced my steps. As the time has passed my eyes see more clearly what is and isn’t visible here in my home territory. Intellectually, I have always understood how a camera obscura works but this practice of scanning and rescanning the same locations in search of what is less and less in evidence has convinced me that the mental camera that creates our visual memory remains a far more miraculous invention.

In the wake of the horrible images with which I was bombarded in the media by the destruction of the Twin Towers I vowed not to photograph scenes of the tragedy in Manhattan. However, I found great comfort in the way that my friends and neighborhoods symbolically transformed the streetscapes in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Since 9/11/01, every year during the first or second week after the commemorated event, I have retraced my steps. As the time has passed my eyes see more clearly what is and isn’t visible here in my home territory. Intellectually, I have always understood how a camera obscura works but this practice of scanning and rescanning the same locations in search of what is less and less in evidence has convinced me that the mental camera that creates our visual memory remains a far more miraculous invention.

2001

2011

Note: When I showed these images at the IVSA meeting some were kind enough to jot down a word or two of emotions that they “saw.”Here in descending rank order, and loosely grouped together were the responses: Solidarity (4), Identification (2), boundary making, collective sense, patriotism, pride, surprising, Mourning (2), Fear (2), intimate, poignancy, nostalgia, faith, grief, sadness, fragility, safe, quiet.

Note: When I showed these images at the IVSA meeting some were kind enough to jot down a word or two of emotions that they “saw.”Here in descending rank order, and loosely grouped together were the responses: Solidarity (4), Identification (2), boundary making, collective sense, patriotism, pride, surprising, Mourning (2), Fear (2), intimate, poignancy, nostalgia, faith, grief, sadness, fragility, safe, quiet.

For More on this and related 9/11 Projects: 

"9/11 and its Aftermath." http://www.brooklynsoc.org/WTC/index.html

 "Park Slope, Brooklyn in the Aftermath of the Destruction of

the World Trade Center Fall 2001 and Spring 2002.": http://www.brooklynsoc.org/WTC/KraseWTC/index.html

 "September 12, 2000.":

http://www.brooklynsoc.org/WTC/912/index.html 

"Park Slope, Brooklyn in the Aftermath of 9/11,” Illustrated paper presented at MAKING MEANING OF 9/11: LOCAL

IMPACTS, GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS, Manhattan Campus, St. John’s University, September 2011.