We at CFC Properties and Fountain Square are honored to host the work of local artist Jerry Collins. The two statues, representing the Twin Towers that were destroyed, measure 1′ x 8′ and stand on Limestone bases made of Indiana/Salem Limestone (the same stone that was used to construct the exterior facade of the Pentagon). They are accompanied by a legend and a description of the project. We highly recommend making the trip to see the installation in person and reckon with our nation’s history. It is an amazing project that leaves the viewer with a deep appreciation of the events that took place and the lives that were lost.
Collins first got the idea that became the foundation for his memorial installation years ago, when he wanted to attempt to make abstract art impactful for those who struggle to connect with it. Having majored in art history, he entered the professional field as a sign maker. He imagined that if one were to assign a color to each letter of the alphabet, an abstract art piece could be made that said something literally, not just figuratively. This idea would continue to percolate for several years.
Originally from a small town in rural Indiana, Collins knew one of the people who lost their lives that day. She had gone to the same school as him. Though they were only acquaintances, he was greatly affected by her death, especially as he saw how many lives it touched in his hometown. Years after the initial tragedy, sitting in his garage where the pieces would eventually be constructed and stored, he was listening to the radio as the thousands of names of those killed in the attacks were listed. Inspiration struck and he spontaneously decided to research one of the names, thus fleshing out an entire life from what had started to feel like a muted statistic. From there, his initial curiosity became a passion to research, honor, and meaningfully interact with each one of the lives lost.
Using his idea of assigning colors to letters, construction on the towers began. With nearly 3,000 names, eight sides (four on each tower), and 26 colors, the amazing and daunting task began. What resulted years later is what you see today. Each multi-colored stripe going across the faces of the towers is an individual’s name spelled out in color. It is a staggering visual representation of what was lost that day, the many “colorful lives” as the artist put it. The impressive combination of left and right brain thinking alongside the scale and visual appeal of the towers is something to behold. We hope you take the time to do so this month while it is on display at Fountain Square.
