AUSTIN, Texas — The Long Center for the Performing Arts officially unveiled a new "one-word poem" art sculpture on Friday.
The piece is called "Love Hate" and consists of oversized letters that spell "love" from the front, and "hate" from the back. The larger-than-life artwork was made by German artist Mia Florentine Weiss and sits on display at the Long Center's Hartman Concert Lawn.
“As Austin's go-to community gathering place and cultural hub, we're honored to be the new home of this incredible art piece," said Cory Baker, Long Center president and CEO. "We're committed to connecting our community through creativity, and the LOVE HATE sculpture, with its timely message, does exactly that. The Long Center recognizes that public art is powerful, and we're very excited to see this piece spark important conversations all across Austin."
The piece arrived in Austin during South by Southwest (SXSW). Before arriving in Central Texas, it has traveled Europe since May 2019 and arrived in the U.S. in November 2021. It was temporarily displayed in Washington, D.C., before coming to Austin.
“It’s an ambiguous yet powerful message that symbolizes how we can turn hate into love through a change of perspective,” said Weiss. “It celebrates our unity as humans through our diversities, a message which resonates with all of us. LOVE HATE is a giant message on the street that we have a choice to make each day. We can choose to focus on love.”
The installation will be at the Hartman Concert Lawn until September 2022.
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