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When you think of romantic spots in New York City, Times Square is probably not the first place that comes to mind. But that doesn’t deter the Times Square Alliance from commissioning a Valentine’s Day–centric art installation every February. This year’s piece is called “Window to the Heart” and is now situated in Father Duffy Square between 46th and 47th Streets.
The work, a 3-D-printed lens with a heart shape in the middle, is the product of Aranda\Lasch and Marcelo Coelho. “Times Square is a symbol for how we experience our world,” the artists explained in a press release. “It is a physical manifestation of our culture, one dispersed and absorbed through cameras and screens.”
The piece was the winner of the Times Square Alliance’s 10th annual Valentine Heart Design competition and it claims to “optically bend” light toward its center. But in person, “Window to the Heart” looks more like a blurry screen than a physical symbol of modern love. It’s easy Instagram bait for tourists heading to dinner at Olive Garden, but not much more. That said, the piece does come with some unintended symbolism: It’s about as disappointing as most dating experiences in New York City.
“Window to the Heart” will be on view in Times Square through February 28.
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