The Hippocrates sculpture (Photos courtesy Melissa Vadakara and Marios Tzavellas
Feb. 9, 2021 By Christina Santucci
A pair of artists turned Sunday’s snow in Astoria Park into a giant sculpture of an ancient Greek physician.
Melissa Vadakara teamed up with Marios Tzavellas to craft a 6 1/2-foot snowman of Hippocrates holding a Rod of Asclepius, the symbol for medicine and health.
Vadakara said the artists envisioned the sculpture as a symbolic protector for the neighborhood from the COVID-19 pandemic. “He’s overlooking the park, watching out for everyone’s health,” she said.
The sculpture was the pair’s third creation in Astoria Park over the past few weeks. They made a snow god in December and a 7-foot ice queen the day after more than a foot fell on the borough Feb. 1.
Vadakara estimated the Hippocrates sculpture took five hours, which was three hours less than their previous piece. This time they had a shovel to speed up the process.
Vadakara said she hoped the snow art took viewers’ breath away in surprise.
The snow creations have also amazed Astoria residents online — with more than a thousand people marveling at pictures posted to a neighborhood Facebook group.
But sadly, only Hippocrates’ torso and legs remained in the park Monday evening.
Vadakara said she and Tzavellas plan to build more snow sculptures later this week if more than three inches accumulate. But the pair might pick a new location — to mix things up.
However, Astoria Park will always be a source of inspiration.
“Marios and I, we love that park,” Vadakara said.
The Hippocrates sculpture (Photo courtesy Melissa Vadakara and Marios Tzavellas)
Featured Events
8 Comments
How amazing!!!! Mellisa and Mario, it certainly took my breath away when I saw it in my cell phone!!!
BRAVO! Και σε ανοτερα!!!
????????
Maybe instead of making sculpture in the park, they could have offered to shovel some people’s homes? I took a walk in the afternoon and could not believe how much snow was on the sidewalks and I passed Riccardos and it looked like they had not shoveled any snow , I wonder why?
Astoria is becoming a mass. Dog poo is everywhere. Lots of properties did not clean up the snow which became ice. Loud cars never stop. I see drivers passing red lights more and more. Delivery scooters love the sidewalk speeding, playing chicken. A new ghetto is booming unfortunately. And a snow sculpture makes the local news! I too wish they would be on the news for shoveling for someone in need.
Just beautifully
I miss Astoria Park more than almost anything else since I retired to Fla. in 2007. From the sledding in winter to the views anytime of year.
What a beautiful sculpture!!!Congratulations to the artists!! Let’s hope this symbol of medicine and health help us look at a brighter future, free from COVID-19.
This sculpture is incredible. These 2 people are in the wrong line of work if they are not doing art full time.