On Tuesday, October 15, 2013, crowds rushed to see the latest work of Banksy, a famous British street artist who is on a month-long residency in New York. He created a sentimental piece, deeply touching the hearts of individuals, with a silhouette of the Twin Towers. The site’s location was spread by people through Instagram and Twitter, which definitely assisted Jane Viera, a publicist from Los Angeles, who is on vacation in Manhattan. “They said ‘Jay and Staple,’ and we were like, ‘We’re there,’” she said. The silhouette is on the side of the building on Staple Street, in Tribeca, a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, New York City.
Individuals gathered around this work of art, about a half-of-a-mile from where the World Trade Center once stood. Some even bolted from work to catch a glimpse of it. Ilyssa Fuchs, a lawyer with an office below City Hall, logged into Facebook around lunchtime, where she discovered the story, and immediately ran from her desk. She even asked fellow lawyers to join her in the dash and skip out on an emergency court hearing. “I’m running up there, and my heart was going the whole time. Was it still there?” Most likely, she was not the only one who worried about getting there in time.
It wouldn’t have been the first time one of his works was defaced. In fact, many of his works have been, which left many to wonder how long it would last before being damaged. For the most part, fans are usually very upset by any cover-ups, but there are some who believe that Banksy loves seeing others interacting with his art. In this case and with this silhouette, it is not solely one of Banksy’s famous works of art, but it is also a tribute and remembrance of a day that is never to be forgotten.
The Tribeca #banksyny is officially a memorial and it's protected by plexiglass. @ Banksy :: #15 Twin… http://t.co/WsFLPjYTMg
— Hrag (@hragv) October 17, 2013
Some took photos, while others gazed at the faces in the crowd and at the windows of surrounding buildings. Oscar Salguero, a designer of children’s products, questioned whether the flower found on the artwork was placed there by Banksy or somebody else. “Either way,” he said, “the flower looks like flames, but the connotation is so different, it’s beautiful.”
The silhouette of the Twin Towers was not simply another beautiful work of art by the famous artist, but it was a memorial dedicated to the lives lost and affected by the events of 9/11.
People cannot help but wonder where he will turn up next.
Image via Youtube