How to heal our broken hearts
(2016)

Performance and interactive installation by Pier Giorgio De Pinto

“Life becomes like a lover you have been close to / You know him so well and yet
every day he gives you a surprise / When you say I love you, remember you are not
just saying it to the one you love / you are saying to yourself, the planet and the
Universe.” From the lyrics of Unun.To by Yoko Ono

Title: How to heal our broken hearts?
Year: 2016 – Première for Cabaret Voltaire.
Duration: 25/30 minutes
Performer: Pier Giorgio De Pinto
Project by: Pier Giorgio De Pinto

The materials as follow is provided entirely by myself. From Cabaret Voltaire I need
just the beamer and the table that is already in the room and some water.
Materials & Objects for the performance and for the gifts-numbered editions.
1. A white tablecloth
2. 5 small size glasses
3. 20 aspirin tabs
4. 20 multicolour round size non-toxic watercolours (size as the aspirin
tabs)
5. 20 small transparent sachets to wrap each aspirin and each round
watercolour
6. 20 A4 Watercolour Paper Sheets - (cut with a heart shaped hole in the
center)
7. 20 A5 Paper Sheets, white paper printed with the instructions to follow
8. 30 C5 plastic bags to wrap each leaflet
9. One stapler
10. A tea spoon
11. All white clothes for the performer (myself)
12. A macbook and a software for the interactive installation
Illumination
I will put a table light on the table mixed with the light that is already in the room.
Preparation before the performance
1. I print inside the 20 watercolour paper sheets, in one side, a special message in
DADA style.
2. I fold each paper sheet in two, creating 20 A5 leaflets. Five that I build during the
performance and 15 as “do it yourself kit” as gift to some people among the public.
3. I print in one side the 15 printing paper sheets with the instructions.
4. On the front, in the centre of each leaflet I cut out a heart shaped hole of paper.
5. With the little pieces of punched out paper hearts I close the 20 sachets.
5. With the stapler I join, inside the printing paper up the instructions, one heart and
one envelope, containing one aspirin tab and one watercolour.
The action: 25/30 minutes
For the performance I was thinking to something really simple. During the
performance a software will spread some messages in 4 languages on the screen,
mixing those texts with the real time action filtered with some digital effects.
First step: (15 minutes)
On the table I put 5 glasses, puring some water more then half of each glass.
I started with the first glass: I put, inside the glass, the round watercolour and then
the aspirine. Soon starts the effect of the aspirin I cover the glass putting the front of
the leaflet on. I continue with the second glass doing the same. I complete the first
step of the action with the last glass. I close in the bags only these 5 leaflets directly
in front of the audience. Only these 5 leaflets are made and completed by me, the
other 15 are “kit leaflets” so people receive a “do it yourself” kit.
Second step: (15 minutes)
I continue the action saying to each person “this is to heal your broken heart” starting
to give to people the first 5 bags just closed. The other 15 “kit leaflets” are already
wrapped into the bags, I continue to give them to people, till the last one. The 5+15
bags are numbered from 01/30 to 30/30.
So I give to only 20 visitors the numbered plastic bags.
I guess that 25/30 minutes will be enough to complete the performance.
The Idea of the project:
In each plastic bag people find a sort of kit: a leaflet and a white sheet. The front of
each leaflet has an heart cut out of paper. Inside the leaflet there is a special
message. Inside the white sheet people find a short of explanation to how to use the
kit with a small plastic sachet with a no-toxic round watercolor and an aspirine tab.
Aspirin is really used to help prevent heart attacks, strokes, and blood clot formation
and after a heart attack to reduce the risk of another attack or of the death of cardiac
tissue.
Instructions inside each leaflet:
1. Pour some water in a small glass (more then half of the glass)
2. Put into the glass the round of watercolor, wait 5 minutes and gently shake the
glass
3. Put the aspirin into the coloured water
4. Put, as soon as possible, the leaflet with the front on the glass, centering the heart.
5. Wait until the aspirin is completely dissolved.
6. Wait 5 minutes to let the paper to absorb the color
7. Take the leaflet and open it.
8. You will find a better, brighter, more authentic heart and a special message for
you!
I was thinking that all people in the world have broken hearts for many
reasons due to no easy political and social matters. They are waiting to be
healed with simple actions, a smile, a song, a drawing, a performance like
this one.