Richmond Terrace, Staten Island (4×5 film) — © Brian Rose

A few weeks ago I took my view camera down to Staten Island to rephotograph a mural that I encountered last year. It’s on the side of an old factory building that now contains Gerardi’s Farmer’s Market. The central element is a depiction of three firemen hoisting an American flag Iwo Jima style in the rubble of the destroyed Twin Towers, which is based on a widely seen news photo taken by Thomas E. Franklin.

Almost 12 years after 9/11, the painting has begun to fade and flake off, the Twin Towers have become faint and indistinct. I photographed the mural from several angles and settled on the one above taken across the street in a garden center. Although the 9/11 museum has yet to open at ground zero, and memories of that day remain fresh for many, the images of 9/11 have begun to recede into the background.

Staten Island Yankees stadium (4×5 film) — © Brian Rose

On my way back to ferry I saw that a high school baseball game was being played in the Staten Island Yankee’s stadium. Admission was free, so I walked in and took a couple of pictures. The Staten Island memorial can be seen at left with its two wing-like structures, and One World Trade Center rises at center. On top of the scoreboard is a cutout image of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.