Handmade Cross Using Two Sticks and a Hair Tie

2007

The Fence holds many duties, from allowing loved ones to process their grief to being an outlet for public discourse. Yet, at its core, the Fence is an archive of the people who leave a part of themselves there. The urge to be a part of something so central to a community can even create spur-of-the-moment contributions. In fact, something as simple as two branches tied together with a hair tie to form a cross can be monumental for the person who left it, the ones who are comforted by it and the victims it honors.

Crosses made of sticks are prevalent items on the Fence. Their handmade construction from small branches speaks to the ability people have to make something beautiful and whole out of broken pieces—a small but powerful representation of how all those affected by the bombing came together in its wake to create a place of safety, honor and community.