Installation honors essential workers, fight for racial justice

A new public art installation at Discovery Green in downtown Houston honors essential workers on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic and nods to the fight for racial justice. The installation, “Hands of Heroes,” is a four-sided wood panel painted with four colorful, vibrant murals.

In May, the Discovery Green Conservancy reached out to artist Anat Ronen, who is originally from Israel and has lived in Houston for the past 13 years. The conservancy wanted to commission a piece that would act as a thank-you to Houstonians

working their hardest to pull the community through this pandemic: from health care workers in hospitals to foodservice employees restocking grocery store shelves.

By the end of that month, the U.S. turned its attention to yet another tragedy: the death of George Floyd, a Black man and former Houstonian killed by police in Minneapolis, Minn., sparking protests across the world calling for racial justice. Ronen said it felt right to address this moment in its fullest.

Initially, Ronen visited a couple hospitals and photographed health care workers. She planned to paint them. When

the piece’s reach expanded, she decided to streamline the concept to a strong, simple message rather than adding too much to the mix, she said.

“When I design my art, I try to make it so that a lot of people will understand, regardless of their origins or the languages they speak or cultures they come from,” said Ronen. “Hand gestures are something very basic that we can all understand.”

The four-part piece, which is located in front of The Grove restaurant, is to the point. The centerpiece features two gloved hands making a heart shape, with the title of the piece, “Hands of Heroes.” On the back, a white arm and Black arm lock hands, framed by the words “kindness” and “love.” On one side, a Black hand raises in a fist with the word “equality.” On the other side, a white hand and Black hand reach for each other.

“I really looked at hand gestures that would identify (these) times,” she said. “The heart, the fist represent what we should be paying our attention to right now.”

The hands overlay bright blocks of color. Ronen said the conservancy wanted the artwork to have a connection to the park. She loves the iconic “Synchronicity of Color” installation at Discovery Green, and has actually painted it before in other pieces, so she drew inspiration from it again for her new work.

“Hands of Heroes” is a temporary installation but has no fixed end date yet.

Hadley Chittum / Staff photographer The “Hands of Heroes” installation, created by local artist Anat Ronen, started off as a tribute to essential workers. The death of George Floyd prompted the artist to add elements to also hightlight the fight for racial justice.

Hadley Chittum / Staff photographer The words “equality,” “kindness” and “love” are featured on three sides of the four-sided “Hands of Heroes” installation at Discovery Green.