OBJECTS OF HEARTBREAK

Objects of Heartbreak is an experimental mixed media documentary helmed by filmmaker Grace Kim. Through an open call amongst Brooklyn residents, Grace curated objects leftover from 'failed relationship, be they platonic, romantic, or familial'. She interviewed select residents, and interwove the audio together into one cohesive reflection on the universal human experience of heartbreak. With cinematographer Alexa Carroll, she digitally documented the submitted 'heartbreak objects' and, with animator Ty Lance West, created a new 'canvas' with the footage to produce new whole formed from discrete experiences.

Here, she presents the film for the Brooklyn community to experience, along with an ongoing gallery of heartbreak objects. With these, she poses the question, 'How can we each build on one another's experiences in the culmination of a brand new expression of our hurt; And in that shared expression, find healing?'

OBJECTS OF HEARTBREAK is supported in part by

GALLERY

SUBMIT TO GALLERY

"He used to say, 'Remember Margie', I had to convince you we should open up a luncheonette, with me as the cook - I just looked at him and laughed, but three months later we had our very own store front. He owned his own construction company and preached the gospel to thousands of people. He moved up from Bracey to Harlem and then Queens, and finally to the suburbs of Long Island. There was nothing out of our reach when we had each other by our side. Just us."

I have a film camera my first boyfriend bought me. It was a sweet gift but I never learned to use it. It’s ended up reminding me more about how I failed at learning photography than the failed relationship. He used to try and take photos of me with his own camera but I was too insecure to really allow it.

A close friend during college gifted me a pair of gold hoop earrings. They're simple enough to be dressed up or down and served as my introduction into experimenting more with my accessories. Within a few months, we had a falling out and drifted apart. These earrings are the only remnant of our friendship that I've kept to this day.

These are the keys to my ex best friend’s apt.

One day they came back home from a flash sale with new shoes. They said they tried to buy me a pair but they didn't have my size so instead they got me this uncomfortable visor that always falls down and hurts my head when I wear it.

My ex left me this plant when he was moving out of his apartment to go back home for a few months. I was supposed to hold onto it and return it to him when he got back to the city but we ended up breaking up before he could come back.

My ex and I were together for three and a half years and we met when during my sophomore year of high school. He asked me to be his girlfriend on our first date by going on one knee and holding my hand. A few months into dating, I went to Florida for a week and when I came back he told me he had a gift for me. He told me to close my eyes and when he said "ready", I opened my eyes to him kneeling on the ground with this obnoxiously large pearl ring in a box and a huge grin on his face. He wasn't proposing or anything, but he was just playing off of what he did on our first date.

Ironically I saw this person today on Franklin Ave while wearing the object in question. I borrowed a pair of Moroccan pants from an ex lover while we were together. He ended things in a very abrupt and immature way and I never returned the pants. Till today these are my favorite pants. Whenever I wear them I know I got the best part of the failed relationship.

It was a birthday gift from an old girlfriend. She knew I liked reading so gave it to me as a bookmark, and as a symbolic entrance to her heart as they accompanying letter explained (corny af, but also adorable). It was very touching. I remember beaming when I received it. As it so happens it made for a pretty lousy bookmark—far too heavy—and eventually, she changed the lock.