With 9.11.01, Whitten expresses a visually and metaphorically layered response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Whitten witnessed the attack on the World Trade Center from his studio and was moved to respond through this monumental elegy to the victims of that day. The central triangular form might reference ancient pyramids morializing the dead, or perhaps the design on a dollar bill—a nod to the financial enrichment of some whose greed either led to or benefited from our forever war waged in response to the attacks. Along with paint, Whitten incorporated bone fragments and blood sourced from a butcher shop into the piece, as well as ash and molten materials from the World Trade Center site. A powerfully resonant work, this painting reflects the artist’s deep compassion for humankind.