800 kilos of sugar hearts – Picture of the day

The “Open Heart” installed at last year’s Berlin Art Week is a 3.5-meter-high sculpture of a human heart cast from 800 kg of sugar. It is housed in an acrylic-glass-steel box, in which an air conditioning/dehumidification system regulates the internal environment to keep the sugar heart “alive”. It is powered solely by electricity provided by passersby using a turbine-generator bicycle parked next to the box. The heart “beats” as long as the audience participates in keeping it alive.
The melting sugar heart symbolizes the fleeting and precious life itself, which. Inspired by Buddhist concepts, particularly samsara, the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth, the sculpture stands outdoors, where it slowly melts away over time. Its simple, minimalist appearance and peaceful surroundings are intended to encourage the viewer to stop and appreciate the moment.