And finally: The Floral Heart Project
Juliana Kim from The Times writes:
The first time Kristina Libby, a Greenwich Village artist, left a giant garland of flowers in Brooklyn Bridge Park, it was an intimate way to express condolences to New York City when the pandemic peaked last spring. Soon after, people wanted to participate.
Her floral heart garlands in honor of those affected by the coronavirus then popped up on street corners, bridge paths and park lawns, becoming a meeting place for vigils, performances and open mics where people who lost a loved one shared their stories.
Ms. Libby’s effort became known as the Floral Heart Project. In partnership with 1-800-Flowers.com, the streamers have now appeared in more than a dozen locations, including Central Park, Carroll Gardens, Rockaway Beach, Long Island City and Jersey City, NJ. Each display is valid for three to seven days.
Ms. Libby also created a digital installation, “Heartbleed,” which is on display at SpreadLightNYC, a public art exhibition at TriBeCa, until February 28. In it, a 10-minute video in a window shows an accumulation of rose petals, each representing a life lost to Covid-19 in the United States.
Ms. Libby said she wanted to create simple works of art that could resonate with all New Yorkers.
“It made sense to use flowers,” she said. “They are a traditional gift of sympathy, and a heart was a very easy symbol for the message I was trying to convey.”
With the pandemic approaching a year, Ms. Libby sees no end to her flower project. “Grief is a tremendous burden that I believe will wreak havoc on our country if we don’t help people heal from it,” she said.
It’s Monday – take a moment to think.