Collecting Love Locks

"Love Locks Paris" 5x7 Silver Gelatin Print $14.00

Where have I been? 

Besides all of the obvious answers, why have I not heard of this phenomenon? For quite sometime, all across the world, lovers are affixing "Love Locks" to bridges, light posts, and street signs. The padlocks are meant to represent their everlasting union. 

"Les Pont Des Arts" 8x10 Fine Digital Print $18.00 

There is no clear origin for this custom. The legend varies from country to country. In Spain the idea is attributed to the popular book "I Want You," which has recently been made into a film. In Taiwan, the story goes; bridges that lay above railroad tracks contain energy capable of granting loving couples wishes. And on a bridge in Serbia, lovers have been leaving locks since before World War I, "protecting their love from being torn apart" which is said to have happened to a famous local couple. 

"Romantic Paris" 8x10 Fine Digital Print $25.00

These romantic sentiments have caused quite the ruckus! The weight of these locks is damaging the infrastructure they are attached to. They are threatening the safety of bridges, damaging historic structures, and even causing (as some city officials have put it) an eyesore. In many instances, the locks are removed, only to pop up again! Lovers are being urged to express their undying connection via the Internet with sites like "Lucchetti Ponte Milvio," and "The Love Grid," (both digital scenarios for lovers to a fix locks) or to use designated frameworks built to safely hold the padlocks of passion. 

"Love Is The Key To Every Heart" 5x7 Fine Digital Print $15.00

Isn't it Romantic?

The beautiful images you see here are photographs available for sale on etsy! Thank you etsy sellers for the use of your fantastic images!

Las Hermanas Iglesias

Maybe I'm feeling a little hairy. I just deleted 75% of my hair for donation to locks of love. I've been meaning to talk about this marvelous piece by sister artist pair Las Hermanas Iglesias, for sometime now and chopping my locks seemed to be the alarm reminding me. 

Sisters Lisa and Janelle Iglesais make up dynamic duo "Las Hermanas Iglesias." Their creations range from tounge-in-cheek to sweet and sentimental. They also make art individually and have even collaborated with their mother on a project. I find their entire catalogue of work extremely fascinating.

The first piece of theirs I'd like to share is from an instillation the girls did at the Jersey City Museum as part of their "Hairwork" series. Hairwork references the girls memories of their mother clipping and saving hair for as a keepsake, Scandinavian wreath making, and Victorian hair jewelery. 

I can only imagine the time and care it took to collect all of these pieces of hair and lay them ever so perfectly on to the gallery wall. The textures and the various shades are so appealing to the eye. From a far you can't even tell it is hair, but upon closer inspection the reality becomes clear. I really wish I could have seen this in person. 

Being it is so tactile, I think I would have needed to reach out and touch it.

There is another piece of Las Hermanas Iglesais' that fits with The Collect Collective vibe. It's titled "Lost Glove." A beautiful collection piece made up of recovered gloves, found in Paris over a five month period. 

62 gloves were discovered, placed on a wall and reunited with the spirit of their missing mate.

 

Again, this is another piece that looks stunning from a far, but when you get closer magic happens. The sweet and simplistic, but highly detailed qouache paintings of the missing gloves pop out and grab you. 

Excellent! 

Check out the other amazing things these two have done, together and apart. 

Thank you Lisa and Janelle for the use of your photographs.