9/11 Flipbook Unifies Diverse Personal Experiences and Creates Controversy

Omaha, NE, February 25, 2011 --(PR.com)-- For many, September 11 was the single most horrifying act they had ever witnessed. Nearly ten years later, the aftershocks of that violence still resonate. Yet, few really talk about that fateful day, apart from anniversary remembrances and an occasional political reference to drum up support for a war. Artist Scott Blake aims to perpetuate a continuing dialogue about the 9/11 experience with one controversial project.

Blake has created the 9/11 Flipbook consisting of images of United Airlines Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center. Along with the images, the flipbook includes essays written by a wide range of participants, expressing their personal experience of the September 11 attacks. In addition, the authors of the essays were asked to reflect on, and respond to, the flipbook itself.

One essayist wrote, “There is something very interesting about seeing such a historic incident, that we all know so well… and have experienced on such a personal level... to see it several times removed puts a new perspective on it. Seeing the impact via the flipbook allows for some distance from the actual experience, and in a strange way enables us to appreciate it [the flipbook] on a very different level.”

Not all of the people who participated in the 9/11 Flipbook have had a positive reaction. One essayist wrote, “You obviously have more concern for self promotion than for the dignity of those who died and for the feelings of all those who lived through this experience in real time in NYC. I seriously doubt that anyone who experienced this tragedy in NYC will buy you gross trivialization of one of the most horrible days in American history. Your flipbook is a craven, desperate grab for attention.”

Blake has not been surprised by negative responses to his book. “I know my 9/11 Flipbooks will offend some people, but now that I’ve created a project for anyone to voice their opinions and reactions, I actually look forward to reading their responses to better understand their side of the story.” Blake’s project is ongoing and people continue to send in their essays.

Blake personally assembles each flipbook in his studio in Omaha, Nebraska. The books are printed, cut and bound using top of the line archival materials. The large 9/11 Flipbooks with essays are signed, dated, numbered and registered on his website.

A percentage of the proceeds of every 9/11 Flipbook sold are donated to the Twin Towers Orphan Fund, the Fire Department of New York, and the International Red Cross. The entire book is also available for download, free of charge.

Scott Blake is a self-professed tech nerd, DIY punk, and conceptual artist whose work has been featured in numerous art galleries, the New York Times, and on “World News Tonight.”

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