Valentine's Day public art piece spreading love at The Forks

A public art project worked on by dozens of hands has popped up on the Nestaweya River Trail to spread a message of love this Valentine’s Day.

The piece consists of large red and pink letters spelling out ‘I Love You’.

They’re adorned with flourishes, from ribbons to hand-painted hearts, created by participants in Art City’s programming.

“We just wanted to send a message to anyone who might encounter it. The words ‘I love you’ - it’s a message that everyone deserves to hear and receive,” said Art City executive director Eddie Ayoub.

The public art is a move by the organization to take the magic that happens in its studio and get it into the streets, Ayoub said.

Art City has done similar Valentine’s-themed public art projects in past years, like strategically arranging letters around the inner-city that when looked at from an overhead map draw a heart.

They first set up the letters on the river trail last year, as well. Passersby were quick to snap pictures, leading to the affectionate art popping up on social media feeds across the city and beyond.

“We thought ‘let’s put them all in one spot where a lot of people can see them, take photographs with it, enjoy it and interact with it, and then they get the message all at the same time.”

 

Bolstered by the love the project received in 2023, they brought the letters back into the studio this year for their participants to decorate using reclaimed lumber, mixed media and paint.

“You’ll see a lot of different styles and a lot of different hands on all those letters, so it was a big, collaborative effort. It was kids, grown-ups, senior citizens - anyone who happens to attend our programs on any given day,” Ayoub said.

This year the piece is set up on the river trail right by the Forks Market. Ayoub says they may keep it up past Valentine’s Day depending on the response.