L.O.V.E. (sculpture)

L.O.V.E., also known as Amore (Italian for Love), is a public sculpture by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. It is a controversial work located in Piazza Affari, Milan, Italy, directly in front of the Italian stock exchange building (Borsa Italiana).

The sculpture is a Carrara marble depiction of a hand giving the middle finger. All fingers except the middle finger are severed. The piece stands approximately 11 meters (36 feet) tall.

The artwork's title, L.O.V.E., is considered by some to be ironic, as it ostensibly stands for Libertà, Odio, Vendetta, Eternità (Freedom, Hate, Revenge, Eternity), although Cattelan has never explicitly confirmed this meaning. The severed fingers are interpreted by many as a criticism of the financial world and the establishment, particularly in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. The sculpture's placement facing the stock exchange reinforces this interpretation.

Commissioned by the city of Milan, L.O.V.E. was initially intended as a temporary installation for a few weeks in 2010. However, its popularity and the ensuing debate led to its permanent installation in 2011. It has since become a landmark and a source of ongoing discussion and artistic analysis. The sculpture has been praised for its provocative nature and condemned for its perceived vulgarity.