Jimmy Deenihan TD Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht will this evening (Wednesday 17
th August, 2011) officially open – Ground Zero 360° - a new exhibition portraying the story of September 11, 2001 and the days immediately following when tragedy previously unimagined shook the world.
On September, 11 2001 Nicola Mc Clean, a Fine Art Photographer who had worked for the Irish Voice newspaper and Irish America Magazine took to the streets of New York and recorded at first hand the devastation, confusion and panic which was unfolding before her.
Speaking at the opening in Collins Barracks, Minister Deenihan said “it is hard not to be deeply moved by the depth and feeling which is portrayed in the photographic images we see around us. Not only are we viewing previously unseen photographs and hearing the city’s previously unreleased emergency radio calls from that fateful day ten years ago but through the generosity of the bereaved families we are also privy to the very personal loss for everyone involved”.
The exhibition is a visual and audio retrospective highlighting Emergency Workers, who, with countless number of professional and volunteer police and fire fighters, responded to the attacks of the World trade Centre on September 11, 2001 in New York city.
Minister Deenihan went on to say “I know we all remember where exactly we were when we heard or saw on our television screens the Twin Towers being attacked. That image will probably always be with us even if we did not lose anyone close in the tragedy. But for those who did, this exhibition is a way of reminding us that we must truly never forget all the men and women who died so needlessly and so unselfishly in pursuit of the survival of liberty.
Minister Deenihan congratulated Irish born artist Nicola McClean and her husband retired NYPD officer Paul Mc Cormack originally from Donegal on their tireless commitment in bringing this project to fruition. The Exhibition will open in National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks, on August 18
th through October 1
st. It will then move to RDS, Dublin from 6
th Sepember - 11
th September and will then premiere in US in the Field Museum in Chicago, where it is hoped that Michelle Obama will attend.
For further information on the exhibition contact
www.groundzero360.org