This week, a memorial was unveiled in New York City to honor the victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico.
The structure is a new addition to the Battery Park City landscape and is open to the public on Chambers Street Overlook.
The monument honors the victims and is a symbol of resistance in Puerto Rican society and includes a surprising variety of shapes and colors.
Governor Andrew Cuomo said: “New York was proud to stand side-by-side with our Puerto Rican brothers and sisters when they were most in need of our help, and we will never forget the victims who tragically lost their lives in Hurricane Maria.” “We made a commitment to erect a monument to symbolize the spirit and perseverance of the people of Puerto Rico within one year, and today we keep that promise. New York continues to support Puerto Rico, and this memorial will be a testament to that enduring partnership today, tomorrow and always.”
The monument is an ascending glass vortex that stirs up a tornado, plus a shell, which is a symbol of protection. It also casts blue, red and orange sunlight on visitors.
Designed by architect Segundo Cardona and artist Antonio Martorell. They beat another 120 entries in a contest launched by Cuomo.
“Like many Puerto Rican residents, we witnessed first-hand the terrible effects of Hurricane Maria,” said Cardona and Martorell. “Our proposal to create a memorial in New York City to remember the victims of a hurricane stems from a common view that the sad memory of adverse circumstances can always be transformed into something positive and poetic that can bring comfort to all. The poem is interpreted by Adiós a la Isla del Bienestar, authored by one of the greatest poets Puerto Rican, Julia de Burgos, defined as organic forms of calligraphy that give rise to a loud expression of colors, letters and shapes. To New Yorkers and Puerto Rican society of any gender and age. A message aimed at engaging passers-by, inviting curiosity, provoking thought and invoking contemplation.
Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico on September 20, 2017.
