Perhaps, and that definitely great for you, most of you don’t loosed her or his father/mum. But for all those who already know what is it to loose someone like your father too quick, by accident, without having the time to say most of the things or even to know him.

For those who lived this tragedy, those people know what is to enter in an empty house, open box as you where a stranger, fall on crasy letter , etc etc,found the un-offical photo album… This become the same… But to my eyes, I don’t know why dead people should desserv at least 50 years of silence. And here is only 10 years…very short…

And then came the private life. Marc’s father seem to have both nationality USA/Israel; then we all know that the 9/11 was a war attack from some crasy islamist agaisnt what USA was representing (I hope not anymore…) and it evident position in the middle east.

So to me, using this story like that is really disturbing, Marc’s father memory is used finally to make propagande under the fundation who help him to make that would help him also to go in all the destroyed houses in the middle east and start collecting things that relate with others memory. This will be more serious facing the use with the 9/11….

This make all this personnal and tragic history, that I deeply respect not well used… It makes Marc’s father a war victim finally, a collateral damage or “the price to pay” of Madeleine Allbright and I don’t know if I woudl be happy that my sons use my private life for such a cause.

Memory, history, I perfectly understand the point but I deeply think that this memoirs exist everywhere. For a regular death, natural, accidental, as in all destroyed houses of Palestine you find child school bag, drawings, dolls.. Like everyday, in Irak for the millions of fathers or mothers who lost their child…in the natural opposite flow.

Perhaps I am wrong but this essay would be quiet more strong without all that reminder with 9/11…

Anniversary are very usefull for giving a “press” interest…it sound little bit opportunist for me as far as this is too recent facing the world memory. And it make me think of a certain materialist and egoist world… This kind of personnal experience will be really stronger if done also with the same history from an Iraky son who lost in father…

I am kind of tired with self history..

I watched this one several times and I must say it moved me. Joni asked who I identify with and I identify with the father here. I guess it is natural since I am a father myself that I have these feelings. I thinkl because it was easy to identify with the father that this essay moved me so much. I think it is a great job to put something so strong together from what are really random pieces…perhaps that shows that nothing is really random? Everything has a meaning and purpose, or can be assigned a meaning within a context of other things. I disagree with David Bacher about this being too personal, I think it shows great courage and is a great tribute to your father that you put this out here for scrutiny.

Again, sorry for the above message, it was a mistake.

did you get my e-mail a few days ago?

bob, I haven’t had time to read your essay, but I know it was done with love and deep consideration for Marc and his dad and for us all..

Peace be with you.

I have participated in a good number of commemorative events on the anniversary of this most tragic moment in our country’s history, but never before have I felt as deeply touched by the persons we were remembering. In this chapter of your book on September 11, you have brought to life just one man, but by doing so you have brought to life each sister and brother we lost on that bright blue-skied September day. “Artifacts” shows in a simple straightforward way not just the breadth and depth of each life but the wonder of life itself. This is a monumental work and you are a courageous man to be taking it on. Rather than trying to forget the pain, you are diving right into it. This is where great art is born. It is also where authentic healing takes place. I have found in my own work that the most powerful subject we can photograph is the one that causes us the most personal discomfort. My heartfelt gratitude goes to you for daring to turn your camera and keep it focused on just such a subject. Your book will provide healing for more people than you can ever imagine. It is a true gift.

BOB B

Your reflections on Marc’s loss and the work that is emerging from it are among the most profoundly authentic and poetic I have ever read on the subject of life and death. Thank you, dear Bob, for allowing yourself to feel his pain so thoroughly and to write from that place. It is a radiant document that will speak to all who can listen with their hearts. You are not just an excellent writer and artist/photographer but a magnificent human being, one who expresses the inexpressible and does your very best to walk your talk. I admire you greatly.

Patricia

A reminder to us all to document our own lives and of those we love.

BTW Marc, I hope you have since removed those photos from those wax-stick photo albums.

Its interesting what Michael Webster says. I have only seen one other photo essay of a person’s life after death, told from snapshots. I think the merit of this one is in the technical quality of the pictures and for me the unusual dryness of the objects chosen to be photographed. Normally, you’d expect lots of snapshots but not all this documentation. This is a story told in sparing detail. I don’t know why you would have chosen to do it this way. Whether there were not many snapshots, or whether you just wanted to show the major milestones of your father’s life and preserve his privacy. Its not a portrait. It is most definitely not a portrait. I feel I know almost nothing about this man’s inner life. And that i find interesting because it seems to be a deliberate choice. Or if it is a portrait its like a minimalist photo-essay portrait. The fact that you haven’t talked about your father at all in accompanying text emphasises that. Did you ever read Pierre Bordieu’s Essay on photography? and I wonder if it has influenced you at all?