The sculpture you see below, believe it or not, was created to honor those that died in the World Trade Center airplane bombing on September 11, 2001.  The fact that many people leapt out of the burning buildings to escape the fire in the sky to quickly find their deaths on the ground below was lost on the artist.


The tasteless “piece of art” was quickly removed from public view and, we hope, found an early grave in the hard earth where it belongs.

We hope the “Falling on Your Head Meme” doesn’t get a malicious propagation that will live in infamy — but sometimes, revealing a known truth that is ugly and cruel — can prove to quiet a future attempt at re-infecting the mainstream mindset.

8 Comments

  2. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    Gordon!
    Yes, it is horrible, isn’t it? I guess it was meant to honor the fallen — who actually fell on their heads — but it is just too real and too obnoxious and it creates just the opposite meme.
    If I am remembering right — it’s been about seven years or so since that piece was uncovered, I think — the artist was not American and it was sort of a sympathy gift… gone all wrong.
    I’m not in favor of public censorship — but I do feel the right thing was done in removing the sculpture. Too raw. Too soon. Not helpful to healing.
    It’s curious because you know there had to be a group of people involved in the approval, transportation and the display of the piece. What were they thinking?
    Were they mindwashed by the overweening meme of the original inspiration and too fearful to speak up for good taste and manners?

  4. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    Ghastly is a great word for it, Dananjay! I think the fact that it was unveiled for a public viewing confirms no one in the process of presenting the statue had any idea what really went on that day.

  6. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    It does come off as a celebration instead of a mourning, Katha. It’s just so wrong in every way and the disconnect is more important than the artwork.

  7. This does not help healing at all
    these are things you never want to forget but do not want to imagine like this….
    this is too visual and hurtful to see and reflect on

  8. David Boles – New York City – David Boles was born in Nebraska and holds an MFA from the Oscar Hammerstein II Center for Theatre Studies at Columbia University in the City of New York. He is an author, dramatist, editor, publisher, and teacher who writes across the live stage, print, radio, television, film, and the web. With more than 50 books in print, David continues to write 2MM words a year and has authored over 25K articles. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, the Authors Guild, and PEN America, and founded The United Stage advocacy platform on the principle that playwrights have a duty to direct their own work. Read the Prairie Voice Archive at Boles.com | Buy his books at David Boles Books Writing & Publishing at BolesBooks.com | Study with Script Professor at ScriptProfessor.com | Touch American Sign Language mastery at Hardcore ASL at HardcoreASL.com | Explore the Human Meme podcast at HumanMeme.com | Train with Boles Bells at BolesBells.com.
    David W. Boles says:

    I agree, Amanda, sometimes Art can do more damage than we could ever suspect.

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