Colombian Heart Sculptures Everywhere, But to What End?
When you run into a 13-foot tall heart in the District this month, the Colombian government would like you to think happier thoughts about its country.
Dozens of these heart-shaped sculptures popped up all over Washington at the end of last week, and we've been getting a lot of questions about what they're doing here and what they mean. The hearts themselves are part of an official advertising campaign, dubbed "Discover Colombia Through its Heart," from the Colombian government's tourism board, which has taken the form of a traveling international art exhibit.
Colombia, you see, realizes it has a pretty big public relations obstacle to overcome.
"Every time someone says Colombia, you think kidnapping, you think crime, you think drugs," explained campaign spokesperson Gretchen Hamel, but "it's safe to go to Colombia now."
Thus, the hearts. Giant heart sculptures = opposite of kidnappings. Got it?
The exhibit is making its first stop here in Washington, on display at Union Station through Sept. 15, and will then move on to New York City and Shanghai. There are 47 heart statues in all, each differently decorated but all bearing an advertising message for Colombia, of which 40 have been placed at locations around the District, with the remaining seven part of the exhibit at Union Station.
At least one group thinks there are more practical motives behind the Colombian hearts. A web site has popped up, Colombiavisit.org, which accuses the administration of Colombian president Álvaro Uribe Vélez of creating the heart campaign as a way to "push Congress to drop its opposition to the US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement." The group is planning a protest this morning in Union Station, featuring, among other things, "disruptive street theatre simulating illegal military action." At the exact same time, representatives of the Colombian ad campaign will be passing out 25,000 free flowers inside the station today.