L.O.V.E., Contemporary monument in Piazza degli Affari, Milan, Italy
L.O.V.E. is an 11-meter sculpture in white Carrara marble showing a hand with severed fingers, leaving only the middle finger upright. The monument stands directly in front of Palazzo Mezzanotte and faces toward the facade of the historic building.
Maurizio Cattelan brought the work to Piazza degli Affari in September 2010 as part of an exhibition. After two years of debate, the city decided in 2012 to keep the sculpture permanently in place.
The title links four Italian words into an abbreviation that forms a political statement about money and power. The upright gesture facing the stock exchange building creates a visual dialogue that many passersby photograph or discuss.
The sculpture stands freely in a public square within the financial district and can be viewed from different angles at any time. Cordusio metro station is a short walk away and connects the site well with other parts of town.
Activists covered the sculpture with a green glove during Milan Fashion Week 2013 to draw attention to environmental problems in the industry. This action added another layer of protest to the original work's own gesture.
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