Lovelorn Recorder
Lovelorn Recorder is an installation visualising emotional recovery for the heartbroken. Heartbreak is the most common traumatic event that people encounter in their daily life, and it can affect people’s physical and mental health in varying ways. Many people might hurt themselves or others or even harm society after going through a breakup. However, the pain does disappear over time. We reviewed 363 valid questionnaire responses and 5 interviews, and concluded that different factors can affect the recovery time after a breakup, including relationship length, the way it ended, the number of previous relationships, etc. We also identified the top 15 positive behaviours that people might engage in after a breakup, such as doing sports, talking to a friend, and getting closer to nature, as well as top 15 negative behaviours, such as self-injury, fighting, overeating, and stalking your ex on social media.
The design of installation includes two parts: an app and a flower recorder package. The installation explores how heartbreak affects people over time. The installation conveys the idea that no matter why you broke up or how unhappy you feel after the breakup, the effect will fade as time passes. One the first day, the participant needs to type in the details of their last relationship, such as the relationship length, the way the breakup happened, the number of previous relationships, etc. Using an algorithm based on the backend databases, the app will recommend the package that is most suitable for the participant: 15 days, 30 days, 90 days, or longer. Every day before bed, the participant will simply need to check off all the behaviours that they engaged in that day. The data will be sent to the flower recorder and will trigger the machine. Based on the number of positive and negative behaviours the participant will have reported for that day, the machine will release dye in a corresponding colour onto pure white roses. The roses, kept under constant temperature and humidity conditions, will absorb the dye and reveal different colours. After 12 hours, we will collect the flowers. The participant will keep tracking their behaviour every day until they no longer manifest the negative behaviours that heartbreak brings to us.