For the cover of the September 23, 2001 issue of The New York Times Magazine we wanted to present a sense of moving forward. Julian LaVerdiere and Paul Myoda—artists who had spent the previous year as artists-in-residence in the Twin Towers—conceived of the two beams of light, which would emanate from the site. We imposed these towers of light upon a photograph of the skyline. The idea had such force in the New York community that it eventually became an actual (temporary) memorial.

“This cover played against the dailies. It was the only one that was vaguely hopeful.”

“In some ways, it’s a more powerful image than Time’s. It captures graphically the mood of the country, as far as a photo and an idea.”