From its origins in Hungary to Italy, a tradition has gripped Europe over the last thirty years. Engraved padlocks fill public areas, placed by sweethearts, friends and families who throw away the keys as a symbol of everlasting love.

The railings along the Angara River in Siberia, Russia are testament to this, weighed with layer upon layer of padlocks. Some go back several years, some are inscribed ornately by local jewellers, some are simply marked with paint.

These photographs focus on the elegant Cyrillic script against the hard metal locks, highlighting the relationship between human emotion and man-made objects.