Artists Behind ‘Tribute in Light’ 9/11 Memorial Continue to Inspire: ‘People Could Start Looking Up Again’
On the night of September 11, 2001, artists Paul Myoda and Julian LaVerdiere watched from Brooklyn as an ashy and gaseous cloud formed over the remnants of the World Trade Center. The lights that illuminated Ground Zero during rescue efforts set this plume of smoke aglow, and through it, both men felt they could still see the buildings. This mirage gave them an idea, which they eventually turned into “Tribute in Light,” an ephemeral memorial that has served as a vigil for victims on the anniversary of the attacks every year since.
The installation’s collection of 88 beams will illuminate the night sky above Lower Manhattan on Monday night, creating two pillars of light that will stretch four-miles-high. The display has become one of the most recognized and unique public art installations in the world since its unveiling on March 11, 2002. . .