Love
locks are the shallowest, stupidest, phoniest expression of love ever
– time to put a stop to it
Jonathan Jones /
Tuesday 2 June 2015
/
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2015/jun/02/love-locks-removal-paris-rome-florence-stupidest-phoniest-time-to-stop
Some
of Europe’s most beautiful bridges are being destroyed by rusting
clumps of metal, so I’m delighted to hear that Paris is clamping
down on this daft trend
Paris is removing
all the “love locks” from its historic Pont des Arts. This
pedestrian bridge was originally built by Napoleon, though the
present structure is a replica created after the original was
declared unsafe in the 1980s, and it is part of the grand riverscape
that makes Paris one of the world’s most beautiful cities.
In recent years, it
has become encrusted with padlocks left by amorous tourists who throw
the keys in the Seine. May it never see another padlock. Vive Paris.
Someone has to stand up against one of the shallowest, stupidest,
phoniest expressions of love ever devised.
The architectural
splendours of Europe deserve much, much better than to be choked by a
plague of padlocks. Beautiful, ancient bridges from Paris to Rome are
groaning under the weight of these rusting lumps that are supposed to
be some kind of expression of feeling. Why does vandalising a
historic monument make you a more ardent lover? How can the beauty of
love be enhanced by this ugliness?
Love locks are
visually repulsive. They are barnacles that accumulate in a mass of
decaying metal. It is sad that the idea of love should be reduced to
a copycat custom that turns tourists into dull clones. As a token of
love, a padlock is about as personal as a rude Valentine’s card
bought from a shop. But what makes the fad inexcusable is its
magnetic attraction to some of the most beautiful cityscapes on
Earth. You won’t find love locks on many motorway bridges but the
Ponte Vecchio in Florence, the Ponte Milvio in Rome and – until
this week – the Pont des Arts are covered in them.
This bizarre custom
apparently started in Rome, after bestselling author Federico Moccia
had the protagonists of his 2006 novel Ho Voglia di Te (I Want You)
padlock a symbol of their love to a lamppost on the ancient Roman
Milvian bridge. Roman teenagers took up the habit and tourists joined
in. The tide of padlocks has since swept over the most romantic river
crossings that people can find. It is as stupid as climbing a
mountain and leaving a crisp packet at the top, or seeking out the
most unspoiled beach and stubbing out cigarettes in the sand.
Seriously. This is not a romantic thing to do. It is a wanton and
arrogant act of destruction. It is littering. It is an attack on the
very beauty that people supposedly travel to Paris or Rome to see.
You are in love, you
are in a beautiful place looking at the sunset turn the Tiber, Arno
or Seine a passionate red. Why spoil that perfect moment by
desecrating a bridge that is centuries old and laden with the
atmosphere of time? Paris is right to clamp down on this unlovely
custom. At least selfies don’t leave a mark. No one should scar
great cityscapes with phoney sentimental detritus. Just kiss and
share the moment. A padlock won’t keep love alive, that’s up to
you.
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