New artwork in Fairfax honors Covid victims and first responders
Fairfax County officials gathered in front of the Herrity Building at the Government Center Complex in Fairfax on Sept. 23 to dedicate a new public artwork called “Circles of Memory.”
The artwork had originally been planned in 2022 as a memorial to honor those who died during the Covid-19 pandemic while also providing a place for respite, reflection, and remembrance.
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The objective of the memorial was later expanded to include first responders and “a more generalized purpose of providing mental health respite and recognition of the toll of all life-threatening events in Fairfax County.”
The memorial consists of a circle of blue aluminum curves representing a ribbon or flowing river with laser-cut designs symbolizing flowering dogwoods, Virginia’s state tree.
According to a report by WTOP News, the memorial cost approximately $265,000. It includes seating areas and a stormwater management facility.
It was created by artists Miriam Gusevich and Salvatore Pirrone, who were selected by ArtsFairfax and the Fairfax County Arts Committee.
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“Circles of Memory creates a place of reverence for the lives lost and for all who carry their memory,” Pirrone said.
“We believe in the redemptive power of art and memory, their power to transform sorrow into soulfulness and to affirm life and love,” Gusevich said. “Art cannot cure, but it can help us heal.”
Related story: Artists selected for the Covid memorial