I don’t know about you, but the version of Romeo and Juliet with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes captured my teenage heart. Still to this day, the hope and exclamation of true love gives me all the feels. (Have you even watched Bridgerton?)
One small display of my love of love, is our love locks installation. The metal heart lives in our studio in Chatham and we take it to the streets every Valentine’s Day. It was made by a longtime friend, Rob Proulx. Quick history of the original love locks – The story goes back to World War I, in a small Serbian town called Vrnjacka Banja. A couple pledged their love to each other while standing on a local bridge before the gentleman had to go off to war. (Sadly, the story ends with a twist and he falls in love with someone else while away – (eye roll) – but still not as tragic as Romeo and Juliet though, right?!) Regardless, still today on this bridge and many others throughout the world, couples etch the names onto the locks, attach the lock to the bridge and throw away the key as a symbol of their love and commitment to each other. (Here is where we pause and question what our belief about romance and love is based on and what these stories really portray…)
At the CO., we welcome couples, families, and friends to publicly exclaim their love by putting the names of the ones they love on a lock, attaching it to the metal heart, and throwing the key or combination away. Fear not! Many, many children will come and test your ability to lock a lock. MANY have made it their mission to open one of the locks on the heart.
Will you bring in a lock next time you’re at the CO.?
