As of last month, the Long Island City Hunter’s Point South Park is home to the Heart Monument, which pays tribute to healthcare heroes who are serving their community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The large red stainless steel heart created by world-renowned Italian sculptor Sergio Furnari was last installed on the southeast corner of Central Park in late October 2021. NYC Parks moved the monument to Hunters Point South Park in early December 2021, and will be available for viewing through February 2022.
Along the East River, onlookers can see the panoramic view of the city behind the universal symbol of love.
“This Sergio Furnari masterpiece reminds us of what COVID has inscribed in our hearts: the love for those we lost, the gratitude for those who aided us in our darkest hours, and the comfort of a bond forged with our neighbors as we came together to face a once-in-a-lifetime challenge,” said coordinator Laurie Sheppard in a statement.
Though the city continues to struggle with the spread of COVID-19, it’s come a long way since March 2020. As of Jan. 8, Queens became the first county in New York state to have 2 million residents receive at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the city’s Health Department.
Annalisa Iadicicco, a humanitarian mixed media artist and founder of The Blue Bus Project, is helping the NYC Parks Department spread this message of love through the Heart Monument by moving the sculpture to different locations across New York City.
The Blue Bus Project is a nonprofit arts organization that operates out of a refurbished school bus, bringing art-centric programs to underserved communities throughout the city. During the height of the pandemic in 2020, Iadicicco drove the bus throughout the city to share messages of hope in different New York neighborhoods.
To support the Blue Bus Project, visit thebluebusproject.org/donate.
