Heart sculpture, Inova Cancer Institute, Fairfax

The sculpture titled Heart is a permanent commission for the cancer institute attached to Inova Hospital in Fairfax, Virginia. It is the work of professor and sculptor Foon Sham.

The piece measures roughly eight feet on each side and is built entirely from Kebony modified wood, using 50 x 150 mm rough sawn boards assembled in layers. Light entering the centre of the assembly reveals a heart shape, a motif chosen in relation to the purpose of the place, dedicated to research and treatment of adult and paediatric cancers.

Modified wood answers the constraints of a permanent outdoor installation: impregnated with a bio-based liquid, it offers high durability and dimensional stability, which limits movement in a piece made of a large number of stacked elements.