If there’s one certainty in life, it’s that you will experience heartbreak of some sort, at some point. Whether it stems from grief or a particularly difficult breakup, heartbreak can feel isolating. But while you may find little solace in the comfort of others, art can bring light to the darkest corners of your mind.
With pain comes beauty — understanding, nuance and creativity. In other words, with pain comes art. While your experiences may feel suffocatingly unique, countless artists have felt a similar pain and channeled it into creation. From these creations, we can learn, reflect and, most importantly, feel understood. If you’re feeling alone in heartbreak, look for a glimpse of yourself in these artworks.
Literature
“Never Let Me Go” by Kazuo Ishiguro
A novel that is best read with no prior knowledge of its plot, “Never Let Me Go” is a beautifully tragic tale of love and loss. Ishiguro explores the human condition in a rarely paralleled manner — a worthwhile read for everyone.
“Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost
Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.
An ode to ephemerality, Frost’s short and impactful poem tells us that nothing lasts forever and that it is only within this impermanence that beauty can exist. “Nothing gold can stay” is a valuable message for the brokenhearted. To lose something beautiful is to have had something beautiful — a truth to be grateful for.
“This Was Once a Love Poem” by Jane Hirshfield
This was once a love poem,
before its haunches thickened, its breath grew short,
before it found itself sitting,
perplexed and a little embarrassed,
on the fender of a parked car,
while many people passed by without turning their heads.
Hirshfield’s interpretation of change and lost love offers an honest and relatable perspective on breakups. An exploration of the passage of time and the woes that come with it, “This Was Once a Love Poem” is well worth a read. You can find the entire poem here.
Television and Film
“Her”
A story of isolation and the lengths we go to avoid it, “Her” is sure to bring comfort to anyone who feels isolated in their heartbreak. Beautifully directed, acted and written, the movie feels real and devastating — sometimes the exact combination a broken heart needs.
“About Time”
“About Time” is the lighthearted romcom that a broken heart craves, but it is also a message on the importance of living in the moment. A movie about time travel may seem trivial, but “About Time” finds the perfect balance between the weightless fun of a romcom and the impact of cinema, in the big sense of the word.
“The Haunting of Hill House”
While a horror show may seem like the exact opposite of what a heartbroken person wants, “The Haunting of Hill House” is the exception. The show explores grief, trauma and complex familial relationships through the lens of horror — a tactic that is perfectly executed. The show is so impactful because the horror element mirrors the dreadful feeling of grief. “The Haunting of Hill House” is not for the faint of heart, but it is an unforgettable watch.
Visual Art
“Death and Life” by Gustav Klimt
Klimt confronts death in his painting “Death and Life.” In it, we’re presented with a physical representation of death on the left and a representation of life on the right. A symbol of the perseverance of life in the face of pain, loss and, ultimately, death, this painting serves as a reminder that life, quite simply, goes on and we should allow it to do such. Love and loss exist simultaneously on the canvas, yet the figures are engrossed in the pleasures of life rather than the fear of death.
“Perfect Lovers” by Felix Gonzalez-Torres
“Perfect Lovers” is an installation piece. In it, two clocks are hung on the wall, perfectly synchronized with each other. Eventually, the clocks inevitably fall out of time. Deeply personal yet widely relatable, “Perfect Lovers” is Gonzalez-Torres’ statement on his HIV-positive partner’s slow journey toward death from AIDS. The ticking of the clocks represents two heartbeats that will fall apart in one way or another. However frightening the notion of impermanence is, Gonzalez-Torres urges viewers to be unafraid — life is hard, but it is also beautiful.
If you’re dealing with heartbreak, no matter how big, look to art — books and movies, plays and paintings — you’re sure to find comfort. Finding a piece of art that makes you feel completely understood is a magical experience, go out and get it.
