Saturday, September 08, 2007

 

Mosaic Man and the 9-11 Memorial Planter ..

Above , Jim , the only true " Mosaic Man", stands in Astor Place with his back to the beginning of St. Marks Place where his "Mosaic Trail" of mosaic adorned light posts ,storefronts and sidewalks begins .

St. Marks Place runs all of 3 blocks east to Tompkins Square Park and is lined with many of Jim's mosaics . Jim's "Mosaic Trail" was started here at this location in Astor Place 20 years ago on Labor Day.
Jim on Semptember 11 , 2005 standing next to his recently begun "9-11 Memorial Planter" in front of the " Cave " , the last of the illegal East Village squats , at 120 St. Marks Place where he lived and worked .

Last night Jim's "9-11 Memorial Planter" stood alone under a street light , backlit by the blue light of the Chase Bank at the base of the latest tower of multi-million dollar condos on Astor Place . Jim and Jesse Jane ( his dog not the porn star ) had been sleeping with the planter here in Astor Place many nights recently but on this night they were able to get a much needed night's sleep off the street in a generous friends apartment .
Today we were told here at NMNL that NYPD has warned Jim to remove the planter and to not sleep in Astor Place .
Jim has nowhere to go to live , he is homeless , and he certainly has no place to put the planter .
Crafting the Memorial Planter has occupied Jim for more than 2 years . It is dedicated to the NYC police officers , NYC firemen and Port of NY Authority officers that died on September 11 , 2001 . Jim has intended to somehow finish the planter and place it at Ground Zero with a tree , a small tree , planted in it .
It seems now that the planter is at risk : it may be simply broken -up and hauled away by the Sanitation Dept.



# posted by Bob Arihood @ 6:14 AM
Comments:
I like Jim's memorials for 9-11 including several light poles and of course the big planter. Sept. 11 was the largest loss of rescue workers in our Nation's, State's, City's history yet this historical heartwrenching fact is invisible at the site because the mayor hesitates; he worries that honoring them with a sign would make them some how special. This from a guy who is treated special 24/7. The FDNY, NYPD, PAPD and EMS did not hesitate with their lives the mayor still wants to deny them their rank on the final memorial and to date has erased this historical loss and the simple honor due of their name, rank and dept on a seperate sign all these years to the millions of people that have come to visit the WTC site. There have been so many shocking events post 9-11 including Bobby and Joseph becoming 9-11 heroes in 2007, firehouses closed, NYPD starting salary lowered and the community crushing new hideous new york on old New York's infrastructure; I can't even write it all tonight.

I hope Jim and Jesse find a home asap and the planter finds one as well.

Bob, Your blog is my most favorite of all our village blogs. Looking at all the many faces your blog has brought to my attention and it has changed how I walk down the street and "see" people. Some of our subjects may need to get agents and publicists. I enjoy your photos and the seeing your subjects in the flesh them more than any mainstream form of entertainment like tv or mega bucks films. I do feel very sympathetic to the NYPD for having to deal with some of your subjects. Keep it up -- you bringing us your photos and I really hope Jim Powers and Jesse Jane and 9-11 planter find a home. They deserve it!

than
Suzannah B. Troy
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 10:08 PM
 
what a meaningful piece of art....
his 9-11 tribute....that day will never be forgotten...nor will jim.
# posted by Anonymous Anonymous : 11:10 PM
 
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