Press

15 New Hearts Unveiled at Union Square

Heroes & Hearts to recognize local heroes and public art to Support SF General Hospital

San Francisco, Calif., January 24, 2006 - Fifteen new works of art in the shape of hearts will be unveiled at 11 a.m. Thursday Feb. 2 in Union Square as part of this year's Heroes & Hearts event, a continuation of the highly successful Hearts in San Francisco event in 2004. Heroes & Hearts, a benefit for the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation, is the first annual event to include the hearts project and kick off the celebration of several community heroes.

The unveiling of the new artworks is part of a long-term effort by the Foundation to generate funds and raise awareness of SF General's important role in the life and health of the city. To date, the Foundation has helped raise more than $20 million for SF General.

"The Foundation enables the hospital to make some essential improvements and expand specialty care to maintain the hospital's status as one of the best medical centers in the country," said Judith Guggenhime, president of the Foundation's board of directors. "We found hearts were the right symbol to use to support SF General's challenging mission of delivering humanistic, cost-effective and culturally competent health services to the residents of the City and County of San Francisco."

SF General has been at the same location in the Mission district since 1872. It is home to the only Level 1 Trauma Center serving over 1.5 million people living and working in San Francisco and Northern San Mateo counties. It is the largest acute and rehabilitation hospital for psychiatric patients and offers the only psychiatric emergency service in San Francisco. Last year, SF General delivered in-patient services to nearly 100,000 people and over 80,000 people in the outpatient clinics.

The heart artwork program began in 2004 with Tony Bennett singing his signature "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" to announce the program in Union Square. The campaign drew significant attention as the 130 heart artworks were placed all around the San Francisco, from city hall to Golden Gate Park.

A luncheon will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at Union Square featuring both the sale of the 15 new hearts and recognizing five heroes who have helped save lives or made a significant contribution to the community.

Just as in 2004, the heart artworks will be sold, with all the proceeds going to support SF General. This year there are three large hearts (stand 5' tall X 5'9 wide and 3'3" thick 3-D) and 12 'tabletop' hearts (stand 17" wide by 14.23" and 8" thick 3D). The hearts are all made from a fiberglass mold and given to the artists to create their own visions.

All 15 hearts will be on public display Thursday Feb. 2 to Sunday Feb. 6 at Union Square. The large hearts will tour the city and will be on display for the public at Union Square (Feb. 1 - Feb. 28), Civic Center (Mar. 1 - Mar. 30), and Harry Bridges Plaza (Apr. 1 - Apr.30).

The new hearts are being created by renowned artists including Tor Archer, Carl Auge, Lynda Dann, Joan Elan Davis, Ann Getty, Sofia Harrison, Wade Hoefer, Vanessa Marsh, Brigitte McReynolds, Nathan Oliveira, Michael Osborne, Tjasa Owen, Michael Speight, Laurel True and Debra Walker.

"We welcome the public to view the latest installation of hearts created by some of San Francisco's most talented artists," said Steering Committee Co-chair Ellen Magnin Newman. "The goal of the project is to promote a unique hybrid of fundraising, compassionate community involvement and a positive nurturing of artistic expression at a time when it is sorely needed."

One of this year's hearts, 'To the Sea" by San Francisco-based Tjasa Owen integrates rural and coastal landscape in acrylic and oil pastel. Featured in 2004, the Wells Fargo sponsored heart, designed by acclaimed artist Michael Osborne, sparkled with hundreds of commemorative coins - a dazzling reference to the California Gold Rush.

"The Heroes & Hearts event is not only a great way to raise funds for the good work of the San Francisco Hospital Foundation, it also gives us an opportunity to celebrate our local heroes and recognize the Bay Area's most talented artists," said Michael Osborne. Osborne, creator of the Intel and Wells Fargo hearts in 2004, is a prominent artist and designer of the popular 2002 and 2004 LOVE stamps.

Luncheon tickets are limited. For ticket information, please call Katherine Moe at (415) 206-4478 or email katherine.moe@sfdph.org.

Event sponsors include Wells Fargo, Intel, Macy's, McKesson, Richard & Judith Guggenhime and The Stanley S. Langendorf Foundation.