Death Layer
©2003 Craig Ashby
Digital Photograph

Death Layer is a strange capsule of memories. It’s the Halloween window display of the African antique store I ran. The window reflecting the outside while showing the skeletons inside the display.

This is a couple of years after 9-11. The owners of the shop put the American flag stickers up to show pride. But on some level it was also about fearing the fact that we handled Islamic Art. There was honest fear of the Windows being broken so the put up the flags.

The time after 9-11 is still with me today. I vividly remember the ash and burning smell that lasted for months. The atmosphere of New York forever changed. Until the gallery closed those flags stayed up.

To this day I have never spoken about it. Even now I am not sharing too much. It’s just too intense.

It’s funny when I see people from my past post on social media on 9-11. They will never forget. It really gets under my skin.

Here are people who would have normally hated this city. Rallying behind a horrible moment in the name of nationalism and racism. Just furthering and justifying their own agenda.

When they say they will never forget they are referring to a memory sold to them by corporate television. They might as well never forget The Hills. When I say I will never forget it is something altogether different.