Catalan sculptor Jaume Plensa installs giant heart in Barcelona's Hospital Clínic
Inflatable piece 'The Secret Heart' aims to promote the importance of preventing cardiovascular diseases
The Medicine college in Barcelona's Hospital Clínic is now decorated with a giant heart created by the Catalan sculptor Jaume Plensa to celebrate World Heart Day on September 30.
The piece is called "The Secret Heart" and is 13 meters tall and 9.5 meters wide, and weighs 150 kg.
The inflatable piece was painted by hand and created with synthetic materials. With it, Plensa aims to promote the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, as it is the first cause of death in the world.
When creating it, Plensa looked for the "utmost realism". In fact, the heart is located between the columns of the building "for the columns to recreate the ribs," he mentioned.
The giant sculpture also wants to emphasize the importance of prevention and treatment of the pathologies.
The piece was first exhibited at the gas factory in Augsburg-Oberhausen, Germany, in 2 but Jaume Plensa mentions that installing it at the University of Barcelona's Medicine College "gives it a more powerful meaning."
In the inauguration event, the Catalan health minister Jaume Balcells has emphasized the importance of "taking care of the heart" with healthy habits, physical activity, avoiding addictions like smoking and situations of stress.
The inflatable piece is free to visit in Barcelona's Carrer Casanova and will be exhibited until Monday September 2 in the evening.