An Act of Remembrance
From 2001 to 2006, 490 life-size tape silhouettes appeared across Manhattan—a temporary monument to the lives lost on September 11. Explore the Four Hearts and the digital archive of those who stood in for the thousands.
A Living Monument
Created by the Tape Art collective, this project began one week after the attacks as a way to process public grief through ephemeral art.
The Origins
In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, the need for expression was palpable. The project started as a temporary urban memorial, offering a tangible but fleeting way for the city to mourn its firefighters and passengers.
The Medium
Green painter’s tape was chosen for its impermanence. It could be applied to building facades and removed without a trace, symbolizing the fragility of life and the fleeting nature of the installation itself.
The Journey
Over five years, 30,000 volunteer hours were dedicated to creating these figures. Without external funding, it became a pure act of community service and artistic dedication.
The Four Hearts
The 496 locations were not random. They were choreographed into four heart-shaped paths spanning 5.75 miles each, stretching from Fulton Street to Harlem.
Silhouettes & Archive
Each of the 490 silhouettes represents a specific firefighter or airline passenger who died on September 11. Symbolically, they stand in for the 2,749 lives lost at the World Trade Center.
Though the tape has been removed, the digital archive preserves the dedications, photos, and narratives associated with each location.
Search the Archive
Find a dedication by victim name.
A Moment of Reflection
The tape was removed, but the memory remains. We invite you to pause and hold a moment of silence for those lost, and those who remember them.