‘LOVE’ finds a permanent home at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — “LOVE,” the iconic 20th-century American artwork, has officially become a permanent fixture in the Utah Museum of Fine Arts collection.

The Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA), located on the grounds of the University of Utah, is now home to one of the most recognizable works of art in the world. Taking its place as a permanent part of UMFA’s collection of over 22,000 artworks, “LOVE” is predicted to become a new cultural landmark in the state of Utah.

Originally conceptualized and created in the 1960s by Robert Indiana, “LOVE” has served as a symbol of connection and unity across the world. Now, as it makes its mark on the University of Utah campus, it is expected to draw that same energy here. The University of Utah celebrated the installation of the artwork on Saturday, where University dignitaries and donors came together to commemorate the arrival of “LOVE.”

Though there are 86 iterations of “LOVE,” the statue that now resides on the south lawn of UMFA previously stood on the corner of 55th St. and 6th Avenue in New York City for more than 20 years. “The sculpture was acquired through Christie’s when it became available for sale in 2024,” according to a press release from the University of Utah.

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The $4.5 million statue has been long sought after by Utah donors, a variety of which helped make its acquisition a reality.

Donors include:

• The State of Utah

• The Coburn Family Trust

• The John and Marcia Price Foundation

• O.C. Tanner Company

• The George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation

• Zions Bank

• A gift in honor of Scott and Jesselie Anderson from The Larry H. and Gail Miller Family Foundation

Speakers for the university promised to protect the statue’s memory and provide education on its significance “forever.”

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