In the heart of New York City's Washington Square Park, a vibrant, multi-hued sculpture has been causing quite a stir among the park's regulars.
The perplexing art installation, standing nearly 8 feet tall, spells out "LOV" in interlocked letters, conspicuously missing the final "E." This omission has left many park visitors scratching their heads, questioning the intended meaning behind the incomplete word.
"Why love without an 'E'?" queried Henry Jeannerot, a 47-year-old voice-over artist, in an interview with The New York Post. "It's just squares. I love the colors. But it's kind of odd-looking. It does say 'Lov' but without an 'E.'"
According to the Manhattan-based artist behind the installation, Pasha Radetzki, the missing "E" is not a mistake but a deliberate design choice. The sculpture, titled "Love-Ego=LOV," is a visual representation of love devoid of ego. Radetzki explained that his work was inspired by "notions of egoless love, unity, freedom and the interdependence of human lives placed within the context of contemporary volatile social and ecological conditions."
Unveiled on May 5, the interactive piece encourages visitors to insert their own ego into the sculpture by striking their best "E" pose next to the three letters, thereby transforming "LOV" into "LOVE."
However, the sculpture's message was not immediately clear to all park-goers. Michelle Miller, a 34-year-old native New Yorker, admitted to The Post, "I wouldn't have known that it says love without an 'E' if you hadn't told me. But I appreciate art in all its forms." She added, somewhat skeptically, "I think it's trying too hard."
Pennsylvania visitors Dale Good, 77, and his wife Shirley, 76, were similarly puzzled. "I think someone needs to take spelling lessons. Or spell it Luv," quipped Good, a retired newspaper publisher.
Yet, a group of middle-schoolers seemed to grasp the concept more readily. "That says Love," declared 13-year-old Jonah, who was strolling through the park with his classmates, Gemma, 12, and Laura, 13. Upon learning the intended meaning behind the missing "E," Jonah remarked, "I think it's a good place to put it here. It's a good reminder for people that they should lose the ego."
To clarify the sculpture's message for those less quick on the uptake, Radetzki plans to install signage next week. He told The Post, "The Love-ego=LOV Sculpture is a public artwork which encourages the viewers to inquire proactively about the works intention, to engage with its art and its statement." He added that the sculpture invites viewers to "make a step forward toward public art and inquire into its theme."
In addition to the signage, Radetzki revealed that upcoming performances within the park would further elucidate the sculpture's message.
Once the meaning behind the artwork was explained, many park-goers expressed their appreciation for the piece. Josh G., a 31-year-old entertainment worker from Brooklyn, found the message particularly resonant. "We definitely have a lot of ego. It's nice to remove it out of the equation," he said.
Laura Rankin echoed this sentiment, stating, "Because Lov doesn't need an E."
Even Jeannerot, who initially dismissed the sculpture as "just squares," was moved by its underlying message. "That's beautiful. Love without the ego that's beautiful. I do take something positive out of that expression," he said.
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