The Sculptures
The story behind the sculptures
In 2007 professional artist Sandra Lynn Priest created her very first 9/11 Memorial sculpture as a prototype that was showcased at the World of Concrete in Las Vegas, NV. She created this piece as research to see if the public would show interest in her idea to place at least 11 memorials around the United States made out of concrete. Then in December of 2010 San was found by Rich Parrish, CEO of Impact Environmental https://impactenvironmental.com/ to sculpt real sections of the original concrete bathtub foundation slurry wall https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bathtub that surrounded the World Trade Center from 9/11 that had been preserved. San went on and is now creating and installing these wall sections as 9/11 sculptures around the country.
There were 17 original 8-ton sections of that wall to sculpt. There have been cut-off pieces, from the shaping of these large blocks, which have now been made into smaller sculptures placed around the country. Every portion of this concrete is put to good use.
Learn more about already installed public memorial sculptures below
These were made from the 17 original 8-ton blocks
Click on a sculpture below to learn more about it, see exclusive content and see the exact location of the concrete memorial art installations.
This sculpture is in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, as a coming home piece and a 10 year anniversary piece for 9/11. It sits next to City Hall in Payrow Plaza. It is an amazing piece with binary code engraved on each side of the (head), which represents NY, NY. The top of the (arms) have binary code representing the two other plane impact sites of PA and DC. The photo shows San the artist and John Callahan the Mayor of Bethlehem on the dedication day of 9-11-2001.
This piece shows a rubber threshold embedded in the concrete which delineated 7 levels in the different floors that went down, for workers pouring the wall to see. Those thresholds bring a type of reality to block #2, which makes it quite an interesting and moving piece in the collection. Our plans are to fill in the top cavity of the threshold area with clear epoxy, to protect the rough and sharp edges allowing you to see inside at all the details and complexity.
This one sculpture has some of the most obvious ring impressions that were cut into the stone. Diamond studded wire saw bands were used to cut the sections out of the wall. The wire saw machines were placed on top and the wire was inserted into the pre drilled bore holes of the wall. The machine was then turned on and then it zipped up and up until it cut out the section needed. These circular impressions remind me of rings on a tree, showing life of many years.
RESCUE 11- August 10th, 2021, Arrived in Key West with a police escort and quite a fanfare of people lining the streets on the way to the Key West Firehouse Museum. Mayor Teri Johnston was there to meet San. This is a very beautiful sculpture chosen especially, because it has a light blue water pipe running through it. The old Firehouse #3 museum has now become the third stop on the Conch train tour, as it passes by several times a day on a historical tour of Key West.
This piece of the Project 911up sculptures has several long lines of rebar running just along the top of the block showing us a very interesting linear look. We here at the studio, can imagine this one being shown at a major architectural sight as the obvious construction of the wall is evident. There is something to be said about this finely cut block and maybe wanting the artist to create a specific look for you, without cutting this one into a couple different shapes.
This is the longest size wise and one of the biggest blocks in the collection. All the rebar seems to be inside the concrete and it has cleanly cut lines. It would be a nice memorial to keep in its entire shape or it is big enough for San the artist to cut it into a specific sculpture shape for you.
There are many ways San can work with you on designing one to meet your needs. Anything can be discussed for the purpose for your own memorial keeping in mind your intention.
San especially likes this piece of the Project 911up series. It has many of the original wire cutting saw, circular makings on it. It seems to show echoes of voices from the past to the current. This piece can represent all those lost and those still here as family and friends can seem to listen to the enormous meaning that is special to each individual. It is a great piece which lends itself to many different possibilities as it shows some of the bentonite slurry on top.
HEALING SCIENCE – Placed on September 11, 2021– is located at the History and Science Museum in Fort Myers, Florida. From school trips to the many people taking their children and grandchildren there, this is a special museum for us all. Most adults say once they leave the IMAG, they honestly don’t know who had more fun; the kids or themselves. This sculpture was placed there by San the artist as a community endeavor, located at the entrance doors allowing easy access.
This sculpture to be has what appears to be a chalice off to the one side of the piece that seems to be half full. It can be used to represent the cup of life. On the opposite side of this piece, there is a cut off section of the anchor tiebacks used that had about 30 wire cables that were imbedded into the bedrock to hold the wall in place. There were only three pieces in this collection where you can see this significant tieback. An amazing piece of artwork all to itself.
There is one bore hole from top to bottom and shows a generously thick layer of the bentonite concrete slurry on the top that was used to pour into the wall cavity before they poured in the heavy slurry with aggregate stone. This piece has an irregular shape to it that lends itself to an imaginative design. Each piece, including this one, can be turned on its side to expose then both the inner and outer parts of the original slurry wall as it was poured down 7 stories.
Echo 11 is the most significant of all the sculptures because this one has a metal anchor tieback in it. The anchors were placed every 20 feet along the wall. Heavy duty wire cables were embedded from the anchors into the bedrock to secure the wall from caving in. These anchors just might be the reason the wall was the only thing left standing after 9/11. If you visit the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York City, you will see this wall exposed, showing many anchors left visible for viewing.
Blue Freedom One, set in place on September 11, 2021. This 20th Anniversary sculpture consists of two pieces of Block #12 in a smaller version of the large one. With help from the Unites States Navy Seals These two sculptures were taken down onto the deck of the Sunken ship, the Vandenberg, an artificial reef, adhering it with marine caulk. Many divers will be able to witness the first underwater 9/11 Memorial, made out of an official artifact from the World Trade Center.
Blue Freedom Two was placed on September 11, 2022, at the VFW Post 3911 in Key West, Florida. This sculpture is there for all the servicemen in the area to have as a memorial to their service before and after 9/11. This is quite an interesting piece from Project 911up. The amount of twisted rebar on the top San says, reminds her of all the turmoil we all were under after that fateful day. She can only imagine the atrocities our military and first responders experienced.
It is placed permanently at the Fort Douglas National Military Museum in Salt Lake City, UT. Governor Herbert was on site at the dedication and it represents all the Gold Star Families. Several hundred family members gather here twice a year to honor their fallen and have a large meal by this sculpture. It is one of the artists favorite sculptures as the entire community came together to see a 1 acre grass lawn be transformed into a landscaped area with a white gazebo.
It is dedicated to all rescue animals. There are many bore holes made all the way through this concrete to allow for water pipes to be put through. It is our vision for Barney 11 to be placed in the middle of a fountain somewhere, with water cascading down over the sculpture, to allow the beauty of the stone to be seen. This fountain, if installed correctly, will allow dogs and other animals in a park to come up and drink from the water. Some animal paw prints are already engraved into the sculpture.
This sculpture is dedicated to all the 8 children lost in 9/11. They perished at the Pentagon and The World Trade Center sites. San and her friend Kay Krapf, asked their grandchildren for some of their favorite drawings and has recreated their designs into the concrete and stone surface. There are 4 sides with various age groups of artwork from 2 years old to 17 years old. These designs remind me of the many ancient petroglyphs seen all over the world.
This sculpture has a concave area that San has highly polished out that is very smooth. It is to become a sundial. Once this piece is set down on its base in a due north position, a stainless steel arm will then be mounted above the concave area to be able to cast a shadow as a sundial for time. The grooves marking the time of the day will also be then engraved into the sundial area. One of the large rebar pieces is also bent upwards in a permanent wave to us all.
This sculpture to be #17 is very interesting indeed. The amount of differentiating valleys and hills along the top make it desirable to have. Many of the ring-like striations are all over all four sides of this piece. The way the steel rebar has cascaded rusted marks down from the rings as it follows the lines is awesome. San the artist does not usually polish away these markings, whether it is cut into a shape of not, lends this sculpture to be very much appealing to all.
This is a permanent sculpture set in Winthrop Harbor, Illinois. It is placed on a black granite base, using the same vein of granite you can see at the reflection ponds at the 9/11 memorial in New York City. Leigh Gardella-Wood had an idea to have a 9/11 memorial in her home town. When San the artist found out about her desire, she contacted Leigh and they collaborated on this beautiful piece named Gold Star 11.
This is a 250 lb. sculpture that is traveling around the United States and Canada in a mobile 9/11 Museum dedicated to the loss of Fireman Stephen Siller called Tunnel to Towers. This sculpture is the first thing you see as you walk up the ramp. San has been contacted by many people saying that they just saw this sculpture in the many towns it has visited. This is the only piece of the concrete slurry wall they have but all the real artifacts are very moving to see.
This 200 lb. sculpture is placed at Oregon State University, dedicated by the University president, Ed Ray. Socratic Way is a special piece that involved the graduate art students to design a showcase window for all to see. It has a printed backdrop of the New York City skyline and is surrounded by concrete images as a mountain range in the front. It was set up in the Memorial Union Hall for all students and visitors alike to view.
Newfoundland, Canada is going to have this 420 lb. memorial sculpture in the town of Gander at the Fire house Station. It will be set upon a 3.5 ft. square base with a façade of local stone in plain sight so anyone who comes to visit will be able to see it. We at Project 911up, cannot think of a better location than to be at this Fire Rescue Station. Several firefighters from this rescue station traveled to New York City, to volunteer their service right after 9/11.
