Pernilla Ohrstedt’s Time Square Love & Design commission celebrates Valentine's Day in NYC

Swedish artist Pernilla Ohrstedt’s commission for the 17th Love & Design Competition by Times Square Arts has been unveiled to the public in time for Valentine’s Day in New York City. Their installation, titled Love Ever After, repurposes metal mesh used in oyster reef cages to create a three-dimensional grid revealing the shape of a heart. 

After this month, pieces of the heart will once again be used in oyster reef cages placed around New York City's shoreline as part of the nonprofit Billion Oyster Project's mission to restore one billion oysters to New York Harbor by 2035. 

Orstedt’s proposal was selected in November over other designs from Mariam Issoufou Architects, Jerome Haferd, Space Caviar, and Studio Galeon. The 17th edition is also the first-ever commission for The World Around. Vishaan Chakrabart, Carson Chan, and Jing Liu served as three of the seven jurors for this year’s competition.