Heart Rising
︎ Tags: Agency — Agency, Model, 2019


Agency — Agency Summer 2019  
Supervisor+Partner: Tei Carpenter
Times Square Valentine’s Heart Competition,
Times Square Arts




The UN General Assembly predicts that by 2050 plastics could account for 20% of oil consumption and 15% of the carbon dioxide budget. Moreover, it is estimated that by the same year there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish (by weight). While plastic is ubiquitous, easy and cheap to manufacture, it takes 400-1000 years for it to decompose, making it a geological feature of the planet.  
Constructed from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic panels in a delirious mixture of reds and pinks, the notched panel construction technique produces a complex and dynamic form with changing shadows and euphoric plays of light; an experiential and fantastical visual presence within the whir of Times Square.
HEART RISING’s form and use of recycled plastic offer multiple readings of the project as it relates to the climate crisis: the heart could be sinking under a rising water line or, more hopefully, could be buoyantly emerging from the ground. Emblematic of New York City’s optimism and resourcefulness, the installation is an agent in raising awareness about the challenges of the climate crisis and a signal of hope for the future.









© Julia Pyszkowski,2020