Ever Present: 25 Years After 9/11

In a new art installation commissioned by Trinity Church, thousands of paper cranes represent the eternal hope we find in community. 

For nine months following the September 11 attacks, St. Paul’s Chapel in New York City served as a refuge for rescue and recovery workers amid destruction, uncertainty, and long shifts of grueling work at ground zero. Crews made their way to the chapel to rest and wash up, with clergy and volunteers providing round-the-clock care for the workers’ weary bodies and souls.

St. Paul’s survival was miraculous: The oldest church in Manhattan, it stood surrounded by debris but was otherwise undamaged, less than 100 yards from the World Trade Center. As it had for centuries before — through revolution, war, and the city forming around it — St. Paul’s shone through the smoke as a beacon of hope.

As part of an exhibit featuring artifacts from those months in 2001, Trinity Church has commissioned a new work of art to commemorate the 25th anniversary of 9/11: Ever Present.

“We knew we wanted to mark the anniversary in a way that both honored those killed in the attacks and spoke to the healing we experience in community — through caring for one another,” said Rea Ackerman, director of Creative Services at Trinity and the exhibit’s organizer. “Whatever we did had to be honest to the space; it had to hold together grief and hope.” 

Entering the chapel, viewers will see exactly 2,977 paper cranes floating in the nave of St. Paul’s, each one representing a life that was lost, their shades of blue recalling the brilliant sky that September morning. Together, the cranes’ path forms the shape of an infinity symbol soaring above — a powerful image of the interconnectedness of all things and of love that never ends.

In conceiving the installation, Rea drew inspiration from history. In 2001, thousands of banners, letters, and drawings were sent to St. Paul’s from around the world as messages of solidarity and support.  

Among them were strings of multicolored origami cranes from schoolchildren and other groups throughout Japan, including survivors of the World War II bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The act of folding 1,000 paper cranes, or senbazuru, has become a universal symbol of hope, goodwill, and peace.

“Origami cranes felt right — a fitting way to bridge the past and present,” said Rea.  She reached out to New York origami artist Talo Kawasaki to bring the idea to life. “I remember the day. I remember the skies,” said Talo. “So when Trinity contacted me to put together this installation, I couldn’t hesitate. I had to work on this.”

The act of folding the cranes itself became a point of connection, as Talo and his creative partner Sarah Xu turned to what became a community of volunteers: attendees of the OrigamiUSA annual convention in New York City, visitors to St. Paul’s Chapel, and members of the Trinity parish.

“People came together to make these cranes. That means something,” said Talo with tears in his eyes.  

“Origami is ephemeral. It’s paper; you can find it anywhere and create beautiful things out of ordinary things,” said Talo. “Even though we’re taking this very fragile piece of paper, we’re adding so much more value, meaning, and beauty to it — that makes it almost eternal.” 

Visit St. Paul’s Chapel to experience the 9/11 exhibit, including Ever Present, starting Friday, September 4.