For many, daydreaming about love serves as an escape from the horrors of the real world. Frivolous pastimes like browsing pink-themed Tumblr blogs, creating vision boards on Pinterest, and joining chat rooms filled with other love-obsessed, like-minded teens have become sincere attempts to cope with an unforgiving reality.
The internet-based aesthetic community titled “lovecore” gave me a space to indulge in and reflect on all the not-real relationships I had with other people. These parasocial relationships have recurred throughout my life and offered me a safe haven in times of distress. But like any relationship, these connections offer as much stress as they do joy. We romanticize other people the same way we romanticize unfamiliar landscapes, and our expectations almost always extend past reality.
While collecting the images that populate the lovecore community, I found myself reminiscing on all the love I’ve given to random influencers; I questioned whether any of it has made its way back to me. Lovecore is an online aesthetic rooted in a celebration of love, affection, and sensitivity. Using the values and imagery associated with the aesthetic, I created collages that intend to actualize a landscape in which these lovey-dovey feelings can reside. By exploring my desire for a love-filled utopia, I was able to better understand my feelings and experiences around love and romance.
By Gia W.