What is the context?
The practice of putting locks on a bridge began in Rome.
The young adult novel I Want You by
Frederico Moccia inspired Italians in 2006. After the book was adapted into the
movie, Italians all over the country began securing locks to bridges,
lampposts, and other fixtures within their cities. As Paris is the city of
love, it is not surprising that the idea soon arrived. Beginning in 2008,
Parisians and tourists alike began to secure padlocks to the Pont des Arts Bridge
and throw the key into the Seine River below. The lock and key represented love
that would never end. The permanent nature of the lock symbolizes a couple’s
eternal love. This practice has continued for the past 8 years, but recently
the Parisian government has gotten involved. Claiming that the locks made the
bridge unsafe and dangerous, city workers have begun to remove the locks from
the bridge. However, Parisians cannot be stopped. To continue the tradition,
people have persistently placed locks on the Pont des Arts Bridge as well as
other bridges across the city. As much as the government tries, the people will
not stop their actions to declare their love for one another.
What is the artist communicating and how?
First, the artists are showing their never ending love.
Because the keys are thrown into the river, the locks can never be opened. This
represents that love will never end and that a relationship will last forever.
The permanence of the lock itself and the fact that the key is gone symbolizes
the strong love the compelled the person to participate in the first place.
Recently, Paris’s government has deemed the love lock
bridge unsafe. They have begun removing the locks and declared the action
illegal. However, many people continue to put locks on the bridge. This
represents the rebellious nature of love. Love does not stop for anything. True
love cannot be forbidden, no matter how much the government tries to prevent
it. By ignoring the law, the love locks show that true love cannot be stopped.
Why is it beautiful?
I think this is one of the most romantic gestures ever. By
putting your lock on the bridge, you are showing a level of commitment to your
relationship. There is no going back just as there is no removing the lock from
the bridge. In addition, many locks have personal words etched into them. Each
lock has its own story behind it. Someone put time and effort into placing the
lock on the bridge. One lock amongst millions can mean the world to someone. It
is not just another lock—it is all their love symbolized by one tiny object. The
love lock bridge brings together so many people. There is so much history on
one bridge and so much love in one place. It is so much more than hundreds of
locks--it is a symbol for love and all its goodness. 
I love how you referred to each person who places a lock on the bridge as an artist, because I've never thought about it that way. The love lock bridge allows anyone and everyone to participate, and with out the hundreds of locks attached to it, the concept behind it would not be the same at all. As cliche as it sounds, I think that love is an art of its own, and this is a great aesthetic to choose because it encompasses that idea, proving it to be a reality. I also thought it was funny how you mentioned the Parisian gov. is trying to stop it. I cannot speak to whether or not it's a safety hazard, but I think that Paris needs to remember the values that the Love Lock Bridge holds now more than ever.
ReplyDeleteReading this post brought a smile to my face. The idea of locking one's love (symbolically of course) on a bridge to symbolize a couple's eternal love is simply beautiful and holds such optimism in that small action alone. Indeed, looking at the bridge alone is simply optimistic! The bridge must be holding hundreds and hundreds of locks, all physical representations of love, and thinking of all the people who chose to add their lock to the collection because they were in love is delightful. This bridge serves as physical evidence to all the love that has happened in the past and will continue to happen, and shows that love is all around, even though sometimes we tend to overlook it and focus on the negatives and tragedies we see in the world -forgetting about the goodness that is also in the world.
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