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New York City used to be an oyster town. The shellfish were a popular street food in the 18th and 19th centuries but pollution, overconsumption, and New York's expanding shoreline led to the devastation of oyster habitats. Today, various organizations are working to bolster New York's oyster population and this year, the oysters are getting a lot of love from a new art installation in the heart of Times Square.
Photo by Michael Hull
Pernilla Ohrstedt Studio created the winning design for the 17th annual Times Square Arts 2025 Love & Design Competition. Titled Love Ever After, the piece contains a multi-colored, 3-D heart that painted at the center of 48 metal oyster cages. The 50-square-foot sculpture currently sitting in Duffy Square flickers and transforms as viewers walk around the cube and change their point of view.
Created in collaboration with the Billion Oyster Project, Swedish architect Pernilla Ohrstedt's installation calls attention to the oyster's history in New York City and their importance in fostering biodiversity, filtering water, and creating a natural storm barrier. The Billion Oyster Project aims to restore one billion oysters to New York Harbor by 2035.
Photo by Michael Hull
After its installation in Times Square, the metal mesh used in the sculpture will be placed in New York Harbor to create oyster research stations. To ensure that the materials won't harm maritime wildlife, kt.COLOR created new paints, especially for this project, without harmful ingredients. One oyster cage filled with shells positioned next to the sculpture shows how the cages in the installation will be used.
Love Ever After will serve as the backdrop for Times Square's annual Love in Times Square celebrations on Valentine’s Day which features wedding ceremonies, surprise proposals, and vow renewals. The sculpture will be on view through March 6th.
