Wings of Peace

Despite poverty, violence, and despair, there are angels among us, walking the streets of New York City. For Panja Jurgens's thought-provoking photo essay, New Yorkers of every stripe strapped on a pair of pure white wings and, if only for a moment, transcended their own realities to imagine the possibilities of world peace. Some put their hopes into poetic words; others revealed their feelings through gestures and poses. Photographed in a wide variety of locations long before September 11, the images portray firefighters, nurses, artists, veterans, bikers, clerics, children, immigrants: a cross section of the peoples and cultures that make the city unique.