Arts & Entertainment

Hurricane 'Heartwalk' Exhibit Relocated To DUMBO

The art installation, which is made of wood salvaged from Sandy, recently moved from Times Square to Pearl Street in Brooklyn.


Love me like a hurricane.

The 30-foot heart-shaped art installation, made from salvaged wood from boardwalks destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, was moved from Times Square to DUMBO on Monday.

Entitled “Heartwalk,” the piece was built by the DUMBO-based design firm Situ Studio for this year's Times Square Valentine Heart Design, commissioned by the Times Square Alliance in collaboration with the Design Trust for Public Space.

Find out what's happening in Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hillwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

It was unveiled in Times Square on Tuesday, February 12, 2013 and attracted thousands of visitors. However, thanks to the DUMBO Improvement District and Situ Studio, in partnership with the New York City Department of Transportation, “Heartwalk” was moved to the Pearl Street Triangle (Water Street at Pearl Street) in DUMBO on March 11 and will remain until April 30.

Situ Studio built the 30-foot art heart after taking “inspiration from the collective experience of Hurricane Sandy and the love that binds people together during trying times,” stated a press release.  

Find out what's happening in Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hillwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The installation is made from boardwalk boards salvaged during Sandy’s aftermath from Long Beach, Long Island; Sea Girt and Atlantic City, New Jersey. “Heartwalk” is composed of two ribbons of wooden planks, which fluidly lift from the ground to form a heart shaped enclosure.

"We're so thrilled to host Heartwalk,” said Alexandria Sica, Executive Director of the DUMBO Improvement District in the release. “As DUMBO continues to get back on it's feet from Sandy, Heartwalk is a beautiful reminder of all of the support and love that embodied this community in the aftermath of the storm. Remarkable public art. Created locally. With a message of post-Sandy hope and healing. I'm calling it a DUMBO Trifecta!”

DUMBO suffered more than $4 million in damages from Sandy’s surges, flooding more than a dozen of businesses, art studios and homes. During the aftermath of the Superstorm, DUMBO’s community pitched in for recovery efforts. The DUMBO Improvement District, which spearheaded a fundraising effort, raised more than $60,000 for grants to small businesses and art spaces.

The installation is a sign of recovery in the center of the neighborhood along Brooklyn’s waterfront.

One of the artists from Situ Studio who built “Heartwalk” said he hopes the piece can help complete Sandy recovery efforts:

“It’s exciting to see ‘Heartwalk’ set in another dynamic public space and the center of a neighborhood we’ve proudly called home for the past 10 years,” Wes Rozen said. “Since Sandy we’ve closely watched our community rebuild and hope the installation will complement the spirited recovery.”

“Heartwalk” will be on view in the Pearl Street Triangle (Water Street at Pearl Street) through April 30, and can be seen from the Manhattan Bridge bicycle lane. Visitors are encouraged to interact with the piece and stand in the center of the heart and tweet and instagram pictures using #DUMBOHeartwalk @DUMBOBID.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hill