WTC Records Folder 0123 Clippings label, Sept 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document 10/01/2001 15:01 FAX 2123370603 THOMAS PHIFER [ 003/007 AOL.COM I AOL Mail Page 2 of 5

Joel

PS I'm adding the letter in text should you not be able to open a Word doc.

Robert MacDonald Director The Museum of the City of New York

Dear Mr. MacDonald,

At this moment we have a disaster which will-and already has-changed us irrevocably. Its occurrence was broadcast in real time to the far reaches of the world, but its aftermath is stringently protected from view. So awesome, complex and disturbing a vision needs to be described, History demands it. Every generation in photography's 160 years has produced image makers who-sensing the import of the moment-made work that lasted and ultimately defined that time.

I am ready to do this work. This effort is not for commerce or news- making. I have no sponsor. I am prepared to produce an archive of the Aftermath for deposit in the Museum of the City of New York, or the Municipal Archive, or whatever institution is appropriate. I will work with an 8x10 inch wooden view camera and color film; the same instrument with which many of my 13 books and hundreds of exhibitions were produced.

I would like free and frequent access (day and night) to the Zone around the periphery of the disaster. I am not asking for access to the immediate area where search and rescue operations are in progress as it is clear that unnecessary people would only be in the way. I would like to make a programmatic survey starting from Morris St. moving north, from Broadway to the river, photographing the streets, buildings, and parkland.

Your help is deeply appreciated as time is of the essence.

http://aolmail.aol.com/mail.dci?box=inbox&id=2&count=3&next.x=1 10/1/01

NYC-WTC 000137049