The moment we’ve all been waiting for…the beloved LOVE sculpture has returned!
After being removed for restoration, the iconic sculpture is back in its original location of JFK Plaza/LOVE Park.
LOVE on the Move
The City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy (OACCE) joined Philadelphia Parks & Recreation to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a parade to mark the sculpture’s big return.
Only the second most exciting parade to happen in Philadelphia recently, LOVE on the Move transported the sculpture to seven different locations along the Parkway for residents to take pictures before stopping at JFK Plaza for installation.
To celebrate Philadelphia’s love of art, each gathering site was located at a favorite public art sculpture or cultural institution.
History of LOVE
The LOVE sculpture, designed by Robert Indiana, was placed on loan to the City in 1976 for the Bicentennial celebration, and was then donated to the City by F. Eugene (“Fitz”) Dixon. It has been a jewel of Philadelphia ever since.
Visitors might notice that the sculpture looks a little different than it did previously. It has been restored to its original colors – red, green and purple!
The last time the statue was restored in 1998, the info in our files indicated it should be red, green and blue. City officials thought these were the correct colors since all the photos on file showed the sculpture with the light blue color.
However, in 2017, the artist’s representative informed the City that Philadelphia’s LOVE was originally purple, not blue. During the restoration, the sculpture was repainted to match the initial colors.
In addition to restoring the sculpture, a new rectangular pedestal was designed to be consistent with the display of Indiana’s other works, such as the AMOR sculpture. The AMOR sculpture is currently located on the Parkway in Sister Cities Park.
These modifications will ensure that the statue remains a staple of the City of Brotherly Love for years to come while staying true to Robert Indiana’s original artistic vision.
