"9.11.02: Remembrance, Reflection, Community" was the slogan of yesterday's activities on College Green.
And throughout the day, members of the Penn community took the opportunity to reflect upon and respond to last year's tragic events through art and performance.
Beginning at noon, Penn's main campus became the grounds for a collaborative art project, as well as a stage for performances and readings, all of which commemorated the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Community members literally lent a helping hand, participating in the Hands of Hope Project, in which each participant made a plaster mold of his or her hand. The artist behind the project, Sasha Bergmann Lichtenstein, who could be spotted busily assisting people with their casts, explained that this project would allow the Penn community to make a gesture of hope for the future.
"When there's trauma, it's hard to stop and slow down," said Lichtenstein, who will be an artist in residence at Penn for the next week. "You don't want to feel it. This [project] makes people pause."
Once the plaster and papier mache mold had dried, participants decorated their hand casts with colored paper and then attached a written message, which ranged from wishes for peace to words for loved ones.
Students, faculty and staff members captured many different hand poses in their molds. Architecture Professor Catherine Veikos chose to cast her open palm.
"I think an open hand is symbolic of receiving and being open to things in the world," she explained.
College sophomores Alexis Taylor and Alexis Oliver chose to cast their hands clasping one another.
"We wanted to do something together because we grew up in New York together," Taylor said.
Evan Silverstein, a College freshman who has studied sign language, molded his hand in the shape that means "I love you."
"Especially now, we need to know what's dear to us and love our family, our neighbors and the rest of the world," he said.
The project hopes to produce 600 hand castes, which Lichtenstein will transform into a sculpture that could hang in the Class of 1920 Commons as soon as Sept. 18.
The planning for this event began last May when University President Judith Rodin, after meeting with members of the Muslim Students Association, contacted University Chaplain Rev. William Gipson and Vice Provost of University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum to organize the events for the day. Gipson, who had met Lichtenstein in 1998, immediately thought of her work when considering the options for such an event.
Gipson said his goal for the project was to create "different opportunities for the whole Penn community, including faculty, staff and students, to engage their emotions, thoughts and feelings about the one year anniversary."
Looking out at all of the eager participants crowding around the many plaster stations, Gipson said, "I see so many people out here watching, taking part, casting hands and at Houston Hall giving blood. It speaks a lot about the quality of the Penn community. The tragedy of 9-11 has not overwhelm[ed] the capacity for thoughtfulness."
Many student organizations contributed to the planning and preparation of the event, including Kite and Key, Religious Life Liaisons, the Social Planning and Events Committee and the MSA. Members of these organizations, as well as volunteers from several fraternities and sororities, were present at the event assisting people with their casts. For the past two weeks, these volunteers have been setting up for the Hope Project, cutting plaster and learning how to cast hands.
For those who didn't want to get their hands dirty, across Locust Walk, performances took place throughout the day, giving students the opportunity to express themselves through song, dance and poetry. Onda Latina, the Glee Club and the Gospel Choir were among the student groups that performed on College Green.
Overall, Gipson said he believes the day brought "hope, community and solidarity" to the Penn family.
