Return of famous statue in LOVE park.
Just in time for the season of romance, the famous LOVE statue has been returned to its rightful place in its namesake park in Philadelphia.
The iconic statue by artist Robert Indiana was paraded through the city on Feb. 13 in the second celebratory parade in a few weeks following the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl win, before being placed upon its perch in the park, officially named the John F. Kennedy Plaza.
The parade was called “LOVE on the Move,” and consisted of the sculpture parading down Ben Franklin Parkway atop a flatbed truck. The sculpture made seven photogenic stops by major pieces of public art in the city, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Eakins Oval, Logan Square and Aviator Park before the final stop at LOVE Park, which is currently undergoing a major rehabilitation.
One special highlight of the parade was when the LOVE sculpture, constructed in 1976, stopped by its sister, AMOR, a sculpture also created by Indiana in 1998.
And, just in case anyone forgot the local team won the Super Bowl, an Eagles chant broke out as the statue was being reinstated, showing a very personal meaning of love to the city.
Not only the LOVE sculpture, but the entire LOVE Park had been undergoing renovations for some time now. The park was closed for nearly two years for renovations, and when it reopened to the public in November, the beloved statue was noticeably absent, much to the chagrin of the general public. The statue had been in a different location since 2016, since it was moved for the park renovation. But the statue is back and better than ever.
One major change visitors can expect to see from the new and improved LOVE statue is that the color scheme has been updated, or, rather, reverted back to its original color scheme of red, green and purple. The statue, a gift to the city from philanthropist F. Eugene “Fitz” Dixon, had been painted red, green, and blue during an unfortunate repainting in 1988 and 1998. In 2017, Indiana’s representatives informed the city that the statue was meant to have purple elements, not blue, hence the current hues.
As far as the city’s plan for the park itself, set to be finished this spring, it’s being totally redesigned. Some of the new elements include more greenery, lawns, seasonal blooms and food trucks. There’s also the flying saucer-shaped former visitor’s center to think about. Some ideas for it include a restaurant and a wine bar.
Regardless of one’s definition of love, be sure to show the new and improved park some love this year as the public celebrates its return home.
