Americana: Love Story

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LOVE came to Philadelphia as a Bicentennial exhibit in 1976 on an extended loan from its creator, Robert Indiana, and for two years the giant statue of the four-letter word stood on its 10-ft. pedestal across from city hall. But LOVE was not free. Indiana's understanding was that the City of Brotherly Love would eventually pay him $45,000 for his much copied sculpture.

One day LOVE suddenly vanished from Philadelphia. After long discussions with budget-minded city officials, Indiana's agent had the sculpture unceremoniously carted off to New York, where another potential buyer wanted to see it.

Local newspapers bewailed the loss. Then City Representative Joseph LaSala wrote the Philadelphia Inquirer to confess, "I am the ogre who made the decision not to spend $45,000 on this delightful piece of sculpture."

That same day, F. Eugene Dixon, millionaire owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and the chairman of the Philadelphia Art Commission, phoned LaSala. "Buy LOVE, Joe," he said. "Whatever it costs, I'll pay for it." Fortunately, LOVE was still for sale, and LaSala negotiated a new price—$35,000. LOVE will be back on its pedestal, where it belongs, this week and, as LaSala says, "it never should have left in the first place."