T. J. Wilcox: In the Air (Paperback) by Chrissie Iles

In the Air, an incredible view of New York from far up and all around, is a critically celebrated ode to the city from artist T.J. Wilcox (born 1965). The fascinating view from his 18th-floor studio on Union Square initially distracted Wilcox from his work, but ultimately inspired him to create this dazzling display. Using 60,000 individual photographs, one shot every second by four cameras over a period of 15 hours, the artist assembled a half-hour long "film in the round." Projected onto a circular screen, the film completely surrounds the viewer. Superimposed on this 360-degree panorama are six vignettes, featuring a variety of New Yorkers from all walks of life. One, for example, focuses on Antonio Lopez, the fashion designer who lost his life to AIDS and who was an inspiration to the teenaged Wilcox; another features Andy Warhol; a third follows "John," the super of the studio's building, who describes witnessing 9/11.