The object we chose was not an actual exhibit in the V&A. During our visit there, we questioned what made a statue of Neptune any more a treasure than a stained glass window? The real treasure was perhaps the V&A.

Yet, without going too far into what the V&A's all about, it seems firstly — and quite simply — V&A is a monument to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. They who, beyond being monarchs, patrons of the arts, and members of that elite grouping we call ‘royalty’ were in fact human. And — most humanly — they were lovers.

Even more so, the characters ‘V&A’ remind us of the tiny inscriptions on park benches, trees, graffiti on schoolyard walls, tube windows and the like — all in their own way and right mysterious testaments to love in its varied, many-splendored manifestations.

Although not one of the 26 that will appear at the V&A, this little story captures the power of words, design and reflection. So we thought we'd share it here.