"Witness - A look back to the future"

On September 11, 2001, New York city's history was changed forever.  "Witness - A look back to the future" is an exhibition that features works created by local artists, art professors as reflections about their feelings towards the World Trade Center tragedy. Another "sister" exhibition "10 Years Later" features work done by LaGuardia students and is overseen by Professor Bruce Brooks one of the artists taking part of the tribute. The exhibition can be enjoyed at LaGuardia Community College on the 5th and 4th floors of the E-building.

It is almost impossible not to have a feeling of pain and impotence in the presence of the artwork. Experiencing this reminds us how not only NYC changed, but also its artists as well. Through their work these artists have learned to deal with the shadow of that day in a way that aids them and their audience heal through this visual tribute. We may forgive, but here there's proof we'll never forget how September 11 changed all of us.

One of the pieces that welcome the visitors is a picture of sculptor Michael Rolando Richards' Tar Baby vs. St. Sebastian (shown below) . The contemporary African American artist created his "Tar Baby" in 1999, roughly two years before he met his demise in the 9/11 attacks. He was staying in his 92nd floor studio located at the World Trade Center. Looking at his sculpture which emanates an air of irony because of the similarities between it and its maker's fate.


I think it takes a certain type of person to be an artist. To a certain extent, it has to come from within. This allows artists to explore their capabilities and set them free. As a reward, they get to tap into varying states of their psyche which resurface in their artwork.

 Tar Baby vs. St. Sebastian, 1999
Resin and steel, 81 x 30 x 19

Michael Rolando Richards was a Costa Rican and Jamaican sculptor who perished on the World Trade Center attacks while staying in his 92nd floor studio. Here we see him beside his famous Tar Baby vs. St. Sebastian.