The University of Utah has acquired one of artist Robert Indiana's famous LOVE sculptures for $4.5 million, with the iconic 12-foot artwork set to be installed outside the Utah Museum of Fine Arts early next year. The sculpture, featuring Indiana's signature bright red exterior matching the university's colors and blue interior lettering, represents a significant addition to the campus's art collection.
The purchase was made possible through a combination of $2.5 million in private donations and $2 million in state public art funding. According to Gretchen Dietrich, the Marcia and John Price Executive Director of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, a group of art-loving donors in the community specifically advocated for bringing this piece to Utah. "It's a work of art even non-art people know, and I love that about it," Dietrich explained.
This particular LOVE sculpture was created in 1999 and represents the fifth of five pieces in its series. The aluminum artwork measures 12 feet tall, 12 feet wide, and 3 feet deep, making it one of only nine large-scale versions of this size among the 86 total iterations that exist worldwide. The piece previously stood at the intersection of 55th Street and Sixth Avenue in New York City and was displayed outside Rockefeller Center for a month in 2023 before going into storage.
University President Taylor Randall traveled to New York City last fall to view and bid on the sculpture through Christie's auction house. This marked only the third time one of these large LOVE sculptures has been available at auction, with the previous sale in 2011 reaching $4.1 million – then a record for Indiana's work. The artist, who died in 2018, originally created the LOVE design in the 1960s as a series of drawings for cards before expanding into paintings, prints, and the first three-dimensional steel sculpture in 1970.
The installation process has proven complex due to the sculpture's weight of more than 1,000 pounds. The university has had to construct a concrete platform, reroute utility lines, relocate sprinklers, install security cameras, and add specialized lighting that points downward to prevent light pollution. The sculpture will be positioned at the corner of South Campus Drive and Central Campus Drive, replacing previous museum signage that visitors often missed.
Originally planned for a November unveiling, the project has been delayed until early next year, with a fitting Valentine's Day reveal scheduled to coincide with the museum's 25th anniversary. The placement required additional engineering work including retaining walls and supports due to the site's downward slope. University officials have not yet provided cost estimates for the installation work, which will be completed in February.
Indiana's LOVE sculptures gained widespread recognition when the design was featured on a U.S. postage stamp and adopted by the 1970s peace and anti-Vietnam War movements. The artist once described the work as being based on "the premise that the word is an appropriated and usable element of art," though he later expressed feeling the piece had become too popular. Dietrich noted that for Indiana, "there was a spirituality to it that encompassed the pain and truth of love in all its complexity."
The University of Utah joins other institutions displaying Indiana's work, including Brigham Young University in Provo, which has housed a smaller LOVE sculpture since 1976. BYU's piece was moved indoors to the BYU Museum of Art in 2005 after weathering and visitor damage required refurbishment. The Utah Museum of Fine Arts already houses some of Indiana's paper prints as part of its 22,000-piece collection.
Once installed, the sculpture will require routine maintenance including annual waxings to preserve its appearance. The piece will join two other outdoor sculptures currently displayed on the museum's north side: a horse by Deborah Butterfield and a bronze figure by Paul Manship. Dietrich hopes this addition will attract more visitors to the museum and potentially open doors for additional outdoor sculpture installations.
The acquisition aligns with recent Utah legislative efforts to promote public art. During the 2024 session, lawmakers passed SB144 to provide matching funds for cities and towns creating public art installations. There has also been discussion about supporting an art walk across Salt Lake City that could include the university's LOVE sculpture as a featured stop.
Dietrich envisions the sculpture serving as a landmark that will help visitors locate the museum more easily. "I can start telling people to turn at the LOVE sculpture," she said with enthusiasm. Currently at capacity, the Utah Museum of Fine Arts serves as the state's primary art museum and collecting institution. Dietrich's long-term vision includes expanding the building southward to accommodate more artwork and programming.
The director emphasized the importance of making art accessible to the community, particularly during challenging times. "Just as love will find a way," Dietrich concluded, "art will truly save us." The sculpture's arrival represents not only a significant cultural acquisition for Utah but also a symbol of the university's commitment to bringing world-renowned art to the state's residents and visitors.
