A MEMORIAL TO 2020
We are writing the longest letter in the world to fight loneliness.
AND WE NEED YOUR HELP
LONELINESS has long been deemed an epidemic in our society, yet relatively little attention has been bestowed it in research. As part of an artistic installation, we seek to create the world's longest letter by compiling entries written by individuals like you about your frustrations, hopes, and experiences with isolation—connecting lonely people through art in the process.
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With your permission, your letters will be archived as both a record of the COVID-19 era and a crucial source of academic data for a poorly understood phenomenon.
And yes, we will be breaking the world record letter length of 290 meters—three football fields or almost 1,000 sheets of A4 paper—together.
8 YEARS OF LIFE EXPECTANCY ARE LOST AS THE DIRECT IMPACT OF LONELINESS.
54% OF AMERICANS SAY THEY FEEL NO ONE KNOWS THEM WELL.
49% OF BRITONS AGE 65+ CONSIDER THEIR TV OR PET THEIR MAIN SOURCE OF COMPANY.
The
Vision
A room covered in over 1,000 feet of handwritten and scanned letters about loneliness, with the ceiling and floor covered in large mirrors that create the illusion of letters on loneliness stretching into eternity.
Who are we?
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JESSICA LAO
"The only thing I’ve figured out about loneliness is that the less you care about being it, the less lonely you feel. In theory this sounds deep, but whether this leads to independence or apathy, I don’t know—check back here in thirty years to find out I guess."
SARAH LAO
"I can’t remember a time when loneliness hasn’t been a part of my life. Whether I feel it gnawing under my skin or spread buttery over my skull, loneliness has been my unwanted and sometimes unnoticed companion. I think, in this way, everyone is lonely to a certain degree, and I hope this project is helpful in sharing that unsaid loneliness."
CARISSA CHEN
"I grew up as the only kid of a single mother, moving seven times between five cities in hopes of finding home. I loved my solitude and the places my imagination took me, but loneliness always felt a corner away. When I started writing poetry and meeting other artists, I found myself opening up. The warmth of this community has stayed with me, and I hosted a radio show with one of my best friends where I interview strangers with the 36 questions to fall in love. Loneliness is still a color in my life, but I have found joy in it."
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