What does heartbreak look like?
That’s what the organizers of “Love Lost, Miami” want to know. It’s an art exhibit that launched during last year’s Miami Art Week and is scheduled for a reprise this year.
The idea started as a conversation among girlfriends talking about the prospect of finding love in Miami.
“A lot of people tend to think that maybe love doesn’t happen in Miami and the exhibit showed that it does happen," said co-founder Paula Celestino. "Love happens, and it happens deeply and it’s just beautiful.”
Last year, the exhibit received more than 100 submissions, including stories of lost love, tales from people reminiscing about an old flame -- and even cherished mementos from grieving lovers. Wilted flowers, handwritten letters and smashed dishes were all on display in the intimate loft space.
Co-founder Natalia Martinez-Kalinina says that was exactly the point.
“Having all of that in one space lends a very unique, communal experience that is very, very acutely human," she said.
The organizers -- Celestino, Martinez-Kalinina and their friend, Maral Arslanian -- are accepting submissions for a lead-up catalog to the second "Love Lost, Miami," which they hope to exhibit during art week 2017 in December. The deadline for catalog submissions is July 1.
Any object qualifies, as long as some component of the story relates to Miami and the object relates directly to the story.
Submissions can be made atlovelost.co, and are accepted in English, Spanish, French and Russian. They can also be made anonymously.
