My proposal was for the NMAC foundation to accumulate 1,000 love stories, through public announcements and its outreach program.

I was looking for any kind of love story, as long as the two protagonists were identified with their first name initials and the story signed. The story could be factual or fictional, past or present, personal or remote, enduring or brief, legal or illicit, tender or sadistic, passionate or platonic, consummated or wishful, originally authored or in quotes.

Each love story received was marked with a heart and the protagonists' initials were carved into a pine tree at the lush forest compound. A team of assistants and myself executed the carvings by hand, leaving 1,000 hearts a cacophony of co-existing and interlaced narratives in the forest.

The first 200 trees were completed in October 2005, 700 trees were completed in July 2006 and the total of 1,000 in December of 2007.

With this work, I wanted to fill the forest with the fullest spectrum of human experiences and narrative styles, turning the intimate act of carving a sentiment into nature into a grand public display. This is public art about the public and I would like to thank everyone who took part.

The hearts will remain on the trees as long as the bark into which they are carved will hold them. Eventually, they will grow old, the signs will be erased and the work will disappear back into nature.

Fundacion NMAC
Montenmedio Arte Contemoporaneo
Ctra. N.340
11150 Vejer de la Frontera
Cádiz. España
T: +34 956 455 134
F: +34 956 455 135
www.fundacionnmac.com
Love@fundacionnmac.com

texts on Love Stories:

Lenander, Johanna, The Mir's Orbit Around The Earth, Bon Magazine, Stockholm, #6, Winter 2005/06.
Blazquez Abascal, Jimena, Love Stories, NMAC, Cadiz, Oct 2005.
Peran, Martin, Aleksandra Mir, ExitExpress #14, Lisboa, Oct 2005.
Penelas, Steve, Aleksandra Mir, ExitExpress #10, Lisboa, March 2005.
Vila, Fatima, Ver Que Todos Compartimos Los Mismos Problemas Resulta Liberador, La Voz de Cadiz, Oct 11, 2005.
Hernandez, Mateo, Arte Al Natural, Diario de Cadiz, Oct 4, 2005.
Agraso, Aida, Sentimiento Natural, Diario de Cadiz, Aug 6, 2005.
Luque, Alejandro, Por Amor Del Arte, El Pais, July 12, 2005.
Vila, Fatima, El Amor Se Escapa Entre Las Rejas, June 6, 2005.
Vila, Fatima, Testimonios De Amor, La Voz de Cadiz, May 8 2005.