The color yellow came as an evidence to symbolise the light in the darkness. He uses charcoal on a yellow background to better bring out the light symbolized by the yellow which illuminates the darkness as a sign of hope.

He symbolized in his paintings the absence of the Twins with two luminous features in October 2001, anticipating the «Tribute in Light», these two luminous beams that illuminate the sky of New York at the site of the two towers, set up 6 months later by the City.

End of November 2001, as James describes it « his Pictorial Monument dedicated to 9/11 » was finished. He created a series of 16 paintings: 4 large and 12 medium size.