New Directions, Post 9/11

Visitors to this month’s World of Concrete in Las Vegas will discover a one-of-a-kind installation in the Artistry of Decorative Concrete exhibition area.

Visitors to this month’s World of Concrete in Las Vegas will discover a one-of-a-kind installation in the Artistry of Decorative Concrete exhibition area. Designed by a Naples, Fla., artist, who prefers to be known simply as San, the concrete pipe sculpture is the first of a series of 11 similar installations planned for cities nationwide in response to the devastation of September 11, 2001. In each case, one of two 8-ft.-high, 10-ton pipe components Û a cylinder placed horizontally or an upright connector piece with cut outs Û will bear San’s painted version of four common road signs to highlight the 9/11 theme. A merge-traffic symbol comprising solid vertical lines separated by dashes, for example, is seen by the artist as the World Trade Center towers, one falling as the other stands.

Every installation, customized for its specific location, will contribute to the overall message of the 911SAN project, envisioned as a tribute to rebuilding in the aftermath of the WTC attacks and connections uniting Americans in that effort. San explains, After all the horrific images of 9/11, I hope the installations will enable people to see things in a more organized way. Creating order out of chaos is the means to heal and move on.

Reflecting the electronic games of Las Vegas’ casino culture, computer binary code denoting 9/11/2001 will be engraved on the exterior of the sculpture displayed at World of Concrete 2007. Product for the installation will be provided by Geneva Pipe of Nevada in Moapa. A final destination following its WOC stint will be announced at the trade show. Several options are pending, including a permanent home at the New York New York Hotel and Casino or on the University of Nevada-Las Vegas campus.

San emphasizes that locations around the U.S. are necessary to complete the project: Creating the sculptures is never difficult. Financing them through sponsors and finding them a home is key. A nonprofit organization registered in Florida, 911SAN Inc. uses funds received through sponsorship and donations to cover Project Eleven expenses, which range from $100,000 to $250,000, depending on sculpture size, design complexity, installation time, and location. A sum amounting to 20 percent of cost will be contributed to existing funds that provide scholarships for students who lost parents in the WTC destruction. The artist’s website, www.artbysan.com, offers T-shirts for purchase to support the project as well as a page to facilitate monetary donations by PayPal.