New Heart Sculpture Sited In Southampton Village For Valentine's Day

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — A beloved Valentine's Day tradition is back in Southampton.

Southampton Village Mayor Bill Manger and the board of trustees, along with Southampton Arts Center Executive Director Christina Strassfield, have announced the installation again this year of a work by artist local James Ding; this year's "Rainbow Heart" sculpture is sited again on the grounds of the Southampton Arts Center.

"Rainbow Heart" is the second sculpture in the "Inspired by Love Series" recently completed by Ding. The new and original large art sculpture is approximately 8-feet high by 8-feet wide and more than 2-feet thick, and made out of foam and fiberglass. The sculpture started out as four large foam blocks, glued together — and was sculpted using a hot wire. After wrapping the heart in fiberglass, the rainbow colors were hand painted with no taping. Ding then mixed a clear coating with various colors of metal flake and sprayed it over the heart, giving it a sparkling finish, officials said.

"Southampton is a community of artists and those who appreciate art, and has been for centuries," said Manger. "What better way to give the village a valentine in the form of a colorful, fun sculpture that everyone can enjoy as they walk down Jobs Lane?"

Ding, officials said, started his career as a graphic artist. As a young boy, he painted the neighborhood children's names on their bicycles; his fee was the leftover paint. He was always making posters for the high school events, but never took any art courses; in college, he took his first art class, a requirement, officials said. His first job was teaching industrial arts, also known as "shop."

Shop class taught Ding invaluable skills in areas such as welding, automotive techniques, woodworking, silk-screening and other various trade disciplines. During that time, Ding made all the equipment needed to start a T-shirt printing business, launching the T-shirt Factory in Southampton in the 1980s.

Today, Ding is creating a new genre in the graphic arts field — graphic arts on a very large scale and in a 3-dimensional format, officials said.

Ding's "XOXO Hugs & Kisses Sculpture," which debuted on Valentine’s Day 2024 at Southampton Arts Center, measures 30-feet long; it was later moved to Southampton Elementary School. One major difference between Ding’s sculptures and those of his contemporaries is that most sculptors create a sketch or model and bring it to a fabricator to complete.

Ding creates his art from start to finish. Because of the large scale, he has an assistant, Kallie Gordon, who helps in the creation, officials said.

All residents and visitors to Southampton Village are encouraged to enjoy the sculpture and post on their social networks, tagging @VillageofSouthampton on Instagram.