Where Their Footsteps Left No Trace at Ground Zero

After a year in Coventry Cathedral, my five sculptural panels entitled ‘Where Their Footsteps Left No Trace’ which highlight our ability to turn the most awesome developments in science and technology into the means of destroying places and innocent people, are now installed in St Peter’s Church near Ground Zero, New York.

On July 30th I attended a reception there at which they were blessed by the church pastor, Father Madigan and dedicated by me to Father Mychal Judge a chaplain to the New York Fire Service, Rick Rescorla a Cornish born security officer in the South Tower who saved the lives of over 2700 people before losing his own and to the 9/11 First Responders including the 343 firefighters who were killed that day.

Rick Rescorla’s widow Susan addressed the 130 gathered in the church praising the First Responders and speaking of the profound effect of first seeing my panels in Coventry. I spoke of the origins of my project drawing parallels between the resilience of New Yorkers ten years ago and that of my parents generation during the Blitz of 1940.

Since making the 9/11 panel I have made many friends among those whose lives were changed forever that day and, as such, feel able to share their tragedy. I therefore decided, as a token of sympathy and friendship, to gift the 9/11 panel to the people of New York City. This was warmly welcomed by those present

Before and after the ceremony the pipes and drums of the FDNY Emerald Society played on the steps of St Peter’s at the foot of which a beautifully restored vintage fire engine was stationed. Known as ‘Engine 343 “ it is dedicated to the firefighters lost on 9/11.

The local press and television were present as was the London Times. Susan Rescorla and I gave several interviews and were photographed many times with the panels and people from all sections of the community.

Finally, preceded by ‘Fire Riders’ on their Harley Davidsons and with much cheering and waving, Susan and I were driven a short distance through New York streets aboard ‘Engine 343’ for refreshments at an Irish pub.

New York New York !!!

I leave tomorrow for New York for what promises to be an eventful weekend. My five Evilution panels are now safely at St Peter's Church close to Ground Zero and await my arrival to unpack and hang them in readiness for Saturday's reception. That event will start with pipers from the FDNY playing on the steps of the church followed by the performance of songs that relate to 9/11. Father Madigan will then bless the panels . Susan Rescorla , widow of Cornish born Rick who led over 2700 people to safety before losing his life as the South Tower collapsed, will introduce the panels and invite me to speak about them and my project. I will then dedicate the 9/11 panel to Father Mychal Judge, a chaplain to the FDNY who was victim 0001 on that day, Rick Rescorla and the 9/11 First Responders. Then we are all going to a nearby Irish pub for me to meet everyone ( and possibly have a drink! ). The rest of my trip is in the 'lap of the Gods'. I'll be collecting as much info and as many photos of the event as I can and will be publishing everything via my Blogspot, website, Facebook, Twitter and next newsletter. Watch this space!!

I recently held a reception in my studio for members of the St Ives Rotary Club. John Hancock, Chairman of their community Services presented me with a cheque for £250 to help with the cost of sending the five panels, 'Where Their Footsteps Left No Trace', ( behind the group in the photo above ) to Ground Zero New York to commemorate the tenth anniversary of 9/11.

The exhibition 'Looking Forward Looking Back ' opened for two weeks at the Crypt Gallery St Ives on Saturday 4th. June with the prime intention of showing the "Evilution' panels before their departure to Ground Zero, New York to commemorate the tenth anniversary of 9/11. The show also featured a number of other works including a series of small constructions using fragments of poems, old photos and ephemera relating to the Western Front trenches of the First World War. The Revd. Canon Philip Lambert of Truro Cathedral spoke of the remarkable spiritual journey the panels had made and John Hancock of the St Ives Rotary Club echoed those sentiments adding that he hoped the exhibition would help to raise the neccessary funds to get the panels to New York and back. It was also the 30th anniversary of my first solo exhibition which was held at the former Salthouse Gallery ( just a few yards away !! ). A selection of landscape related works from those thirty years were also on show. I spent each day in the gallery and in addition to many interesting conversations, witnessed many moving reactions to the panels. I am pleased to say that by the end of the exhibition there had been 1300 visitors and fundraising was on target.

Planned shows for panels

The panels are now back in my studio having spent a year in Coventry Cathedral. Judging by the moving comments and messages I've received they have once again touched the hearts and minds of a great many people. I am now busy packing them again as on Monday the 18th 0f April they will be on show in the Gallery at St Paul's School, Lonsdale Road, Barnes, London SW13 for four days ( Mon - Thurs. 10 - 5 )). This will be to promote their exhibition in New York so I hope to be meeting representatives of the national media as the result of a recent press release. The object is to raise the profile of the project which may attract funding and/or sponsorship to meet the cost of crating, air freight, insurance and travel in both directions (estimated between £5000 & £6000 ). Anyone wishing to help out or advise can contact me by e-mail at roy.ray@virginmedia.com or roy.beryl@virgin.net I will be with the panels each day and will be pleased to discuss the Project with anyone who comes along

My trip to Ground Zero last month was successful and enabled me to meet Father Madigan of St Peter's Church where the panels will be installed. Beryl and I stayed with Susan, widow of Cornish born 9/11 hero Rick, who is organising a reception there on July 30th. I also met retired New York fireman Danny Prince who is helping to build a screen for the panels in the entrance to the Church

Looking to the future, I have a two-week solo exhibition at the Crypt Gallery St Ives opening on Saturday June 4th. This will be partly retrospective as, in addition to the Evilution panels and related works, there will be paintings and collages from my 30 year involvement with the primeval landscape of West Cornwall. More about that next time.