31 Mar The Hearts in San Francisco
“When I come home to you, San Francisco, your golden sun will shine for me.” — Tony Bennett, I Left My Heart in San Francisco
Happy 20th anniversary to the Hearts in San Francisco! In 2004, the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation, the foundation that supports Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, launched a new public art program as a way to raise awareness and funds for the City’s public hospital. Inspired by the Tony Bennett song “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” and encouraged by the success of the Cows on Parade public art exhibits around the world, the Foundation created a uniquely San Francisco program that utilized local and world-renowned artists to paint heart-shaped sculptures.
For the debut in 2004, 131 heart sculptures were created by a selection of Bay Area and international artists and displayed throughout San Francisco for the public to enjoy. Most of the large hearts on public display are about 5 feet high and 6 feet wide, and placed in visible public spaces. The Hearts were a huge hit. Residents and visitors alike enjoyed discovering the colorful and interesting hearts as they explored the city. After three months, the original 131 hearts were auctioned off by the Foundation, raising nearly 3 million dollars. The hearts were so popular that most buyers kept them on public display, and many have become permanent “heartworks” in the City.
Buoyed by the success of the first year, the Foundation has continued to commission new hearts each year. More than 500 hearts – large, table-top sized and mini – have been created, raising over $38 million in support for Zuckerberg San Francisco General.
Hearts can be found in many of San Francisco’s most iconic locations, like Union Square, Pier 39, Fisherman’s Wharf and more. The most popular heart – and one of the original 131 – is Tony Bennett’s “American’s Greatest City by the Bay,” which now has a permanent home at Fairmont Hotel, where he first sang the famous song. Three other hearts can be found nearby, including “Union Square,” commissioned in 2023; “Heroic Hearts” in the Macy’s lobby; and a heart by Jeremy Fish at the corner of Stockton and Post Streets.
Several hearts can be found near Oracle Park, including “Giant Heart,” an original 2004 heart located at Public House; “SF Sunflowers,” a beautiful heart created in 2016 at Oracle Park; and the iconic “Seismically Shaken” heart martini at Momo’s across from ballpark.
Another iconic original, “Migrant Heart” can be found in Pacific Heights at the base of the Lyon Steps. Pier 39 is host to a 2014 creation by Patrick Dintino called “Open Heart.” Just down the street near Fisherman’s Wharf, “Beach Blanket Babble-On,” an original 2004 heart created by local cartoonist Phil Frank, can be found at the Cartoon Art Museum.
Several of the hearts can also be found in bank lobbies in San Francisco’s Financial District, including “Gold Country” – an original 2004 heart covered with gold coins at the Wells Fargo bank lobby at 464 California; and “Four Hills, Four Towers, One Coyote,” a 2022 heart located at the Bank of America at 555 California.
For the 20th anniversary, 28 new hearts were created, including 8 large hearts, 11 special-edition 20thanniversary table-top hearts, and 9 mini hearts. One of the hearts is made of 88,748 LEGO bricks; another heart belonged to comedian and beloved San Franciscan, Robin Williams, whose family donated it back to the foundation.
Two of the hearts focus on the heritage and culture of Chinatown. Donna Lau, a second-generation Chinese American who survived breast cancer created a tabletop heart called “Chinatown Strong” inspired by a fortune cookie. The heart features cookies with fortunes that read “We are stronger together,” “Live in peace,” “Never give up,” and more. These hearts were auctioned off.
And first-generation Chinese American Rose Chan created a mini-heart called “Chinatown Mahjong” that depicts Mahjong tiles and the Golden Gate Bridge. Chan was born at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, and her work is inspired by the memories she had growing up in San Francisco.
If you want to spend a day discovering the Hearts in San Francisco, here is a great map to guide you and a wonderful video to inspire you.
A heart-filled afternoon starts with lunch at Z&Y Restaurant, where you can enjoy some heartwarming spicy Szechuan! Afterwards, stroll through Chinatown down to California Street to check out the hearts at 555 California, followed by a visit to the Wells Fargo Museum to see the Heart of Gold Country.
Reservations are always recommended: call (415) 981-8988 orclick Z&Y for more information.
The Michelin-recommended Z&Y Restaurant is located at 655 Jackson Street near Grant in San Francisco’s Chinatown.
Z&Y Restaurant is open Wednesday through Monday for lunch and dinner, and reservations are recommended at Open Table or by calling (415) 981-8988.
Written by,
Grier McCurdy Mathews
