2001
8 x 8 x 44.5cm
World Trade Center debris, plexiglass
One of the most lauded works from Parnes’ oeuvre, World Trade Center utilizes actual debris from arguably the most important event of the early 21st century. “On September 11th, “ the artist recalls, “I watched from my roof in real time the display that unfolded in New York City. After the second Tower collapsed, something inside compelled me to immediately descend to the unfolding chaos downtown. I snuck into the off-limit zones, knowing the labyrinth of streets in the area and experienced the drama first hand. Equipped with a dust mask and camera, I found only a few fellow New Yorkers roaming the area in a seemingly mesmerized daze. It was this particular contrast of the intensity of hours earlier, with so many survivors seeking refuge from the wreckage that I found so disturbing. Silence accompanied the morning breeze, sprinkling bits of someone’s morning paper and various fragments.