'Love,' Once Solicitor of Violent Reaction, Appears to Have Found a Home

Author: Abbie Beane

It's back, and this time it's here to stay. It's the "Love" addition (a piece of artwork fabricated by another artist meant to be identical and equally authentic as the original), designed by Robert Indiana in 1973. It now rests behind the Center for the Arts (CFA) next to its cohort, "Out and About," a black twist of metal designed by Clement Meadmore.
Although a smaller wooden mock-up version of "Love" was destroyed last year on Battell Beach for no apparent reason, "Love" has not always been rejected. In fact, there are three more of its size and color out in the world, with one in Philidelphia, "the city of brotherly love." Furthermore, "Love" became something of an icon before hitting the Middlebury campus, being first created in two dimensions and circulated through the public on the face of stamps and New York Museum of Modern Art postcards.
Other forms of "Love" exist in monochrome aluminum or steel versions in various locations as well as one 12'x12' model (twice the size of Middlebury's 6'x6' "Love") on 5th Avenue and 54th Street in New York City.
And if you're wondering about the pretty price one might pay for "Love," the best part is that it's free. Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Wilson, trustees at the College and residents of the New York City suburbs gave it to Middlebury as a gift along with "Out and About."
The reason, however, that it is not extremely visible, and in fact, is practically stashed away behind the CFA, is because placing art in closer proximity to the Museum of Art and the CFA tends to diffuse displeasure with it. The prospect of placing it on Battell Beach invoked a violent reaction, as students did not want it cluttering their wide open spaces.
With this kind of hostile response, however, it seems a little "Love" may have served them well.