Paisley Park, Prince's home and recording studio in Chanhassen, revealed a new sculpture this morning: a giant statue of the Minnesota music legend's iconic Love Symbol.
The 11-foot tall structure resides outside of the 65,000 square-foot compound. Paisley Park visitors will be able to see and photograph the statue free of cost—before locking up their phones upon entering the museum, of course.
First introduced in Prince's fourteenth record—the 1992 Love Symbol album—the symbol combines the astrological symbols for Mars and Venus, signs commonly used for male and female. A year later, in response to a long-running dispute about his recording and publishing contracts with Warner Bros.,—which owned "Prince" and all related content—the frustrated artist assumed the unpronounceable glyph as his identity. In 2000, upon the expiration of his contracts, Prince announced that he'd go back to using his birth name (Prince Rogers Nelson). But the Love Symbol is much more than just an angry artist's subversion and remains synonymous with him to this day as many interpret it to be representative of his androgynous sexuality.
“The installation of the Love Symbol is another exciting moment for us at Paisley Park in our continuing efforts to celebrate Prince’s legacy,” says Alan Seiffert, Executive Director of Paisley Park, in a press release. “With the challenges that our world is currently facing, we are happy to share a piece that showcases this expression of creativity and freedom. And what better place than Prince's creative sanctuary."
After shuttering its doors for three months, the museum has reopened with new pandemic protocols. Stay tuned for new Paisley Park announcements and upcoming exhibits.
1 of 3
Photograph by BEDD Head Media
Love Symbol
2 of 3
Photograph by BEDD Head Media
Love Symbol
3 of 3
Photograph by BEDD Head Media
Love Symbol
7801 Audubon Rd., Chanhassen, 952-495-6750, paisleypark.com
