Hearts in San Francisco

Hearts in San Francisco was a public art project in the summer and fall of 2004 benefiting the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation. 450 architects Principal Richard Parker worked with City Supervisor Aaron Peskin and numerous others to make this project happen. One-hundred and thirty-one artists were invited to participate as “heartists,” transforming fiberglass heart sculptures into unique works of art.

Richard wanted his heart to be interactive, fun for children and adults, and more than just a painted surface treatment. The white exterior represents reality: the hard, cold, foggy world that surrounds us. The red interior represents our spirit and soul. The thin space in between the red and white represents our body. It is permeable, fragile, thin, flexible, and vulnerable. It will break if not treated with respect. However, because it is made of many intertwined layers of fiberglass (muscle) and resin (blood), it is resilient.