Blog #5: Ana Juan

Precis

Ana Juan, in her 2001 New Yorker cover illustration, asserts that the Twin Towers will always be a part of the New York City skyline, even after their tragic destruction. She accomplishes this through a unique artistic technique, drawing the skyline of New York and including the Twin Towers in the reflection of the Hudson River. Juan hopes to encapsulate the feelings of the country in the immediate aftermath of the terrorist attack, and capitalizes on her opportunity to draw the cover page of such a publication in such a critical time. Anyone looking to understand the importance of the Twin Towers in the history of New York City would appreciate this drawing.

Response

This drawing is definitely an illustration of the quote: “a picture is worth a thousand words.” At the time, nobody could find the words to explain the feelings of America, specifically the city of New York. Ana Juan was able to do this with a simple drawing. It was nothing that fancy, it was just perfect. It is so beautifully simple. Hundreds of people died, and hundreds of families were affected by loss and injury due to the collapse. Again, the emotions hidden within those statistics are far too significant to convey with words. With Juan’s drawing, anyone in need coud interpret the drawing the way they wanted to, and it gave words to the speechless. Juan was a master with the brush, and she proved it here.