By: Amabelle Ocampo
Inspired by Tony Bennett’s song “I Left My Heart in San Francisco”, San Francisco General Hospital Foundation created the Hearts in San Francisco public art installation in 2004.
An international CowParade exhibit, where cow sculptures graced public spaces in the world planted the idea. Each year, heart sculptures are painted by artists and installed throughout San Francisco, including Union Square and Yerba Buena Gardens.
Since 2009, the foundation raised over $5 million from the project. Tony Bennett, Roy De Forest, Squeak Carnwath, and Alan Chin are some of the notable contributing artists.
Past sculptures can be seen at Golden Gate Park, Crissy Field, the Marina Green, Fort Mason, Civic Center Plaza, AT&T Park, Moscone Center, and San Francisco International Airport.
San Francisco in 15 weeks 