Emily Campbell

A permanent public artwork for Hanley Park, Stoke on Trent. Love Ties was commissioned in July 2004, as a permanent public artwork for Hanley Park, Stoke on Trent. Creative Writers and other artists were employed to facilitate creative workshops with the community that uncovered their love letters. Love Ties works, by using the community's words to talk directly to the viewer. Public ownership is absolute. Brushed stainless steel quotes wrap the islands in the boating lake, the sun catches and highlights different words at different times of the day, leaving different impressions at each visit. On the upraises of the new stairs a multitude of different quotes cascade; from a distance again catching the light but on closer inspection mirroring the viewer in their polish. The 3D letters impact in their difference, we are not used to feeling or sitting on words. Words that ask us a question, Do you feel it too?