143 Hearts
Digital Print 2024A large heart made from 143 small hearts.
Background and Inspiration
The digits of 143 represent the letters in each word of the phrase "I love you." The association with the number 143 and the phrase "I love you" dates to shortly after the 1894 lantern upgrade to the Minots Ledge Light, an important maritime navigational signal southeast of Boston. Since then, the light has flashed in a 1-4-3 pattern.
This interpretation of the number 143 was popularized by Mister (Fred) Rogers. In episode 1698 of his television show "Mister Roger's Neighborhood", he explains the meaning of 143, its connection with the Minots Ledge Light, and uses 143 in several segments. In a 1998 interview he stated the number 143 means 'I love you.' It takes one letter to say 'I' and four letters to say 'love' and three letters to say 'you.' One hundred and forty-three. 'I love you.' Isn't that wonderful?
The number 143 made cameo appearances in several other episodes, including 1593, 1595, 1651, and 1657.
This work is part of an ongoing series of artworks expressing the positive integers as a geometric arrangement of identical simple visual elements that invite the viewer to contemplate the concept of number.
