Museum of Broken Relationships
Encyclopedia
The Museum of Broken Relationships is a museum
dedicated to failed love relationships. Its exhibits are personal objects left over from former lovers which are accompanied by brief descriptions. At first a traveling collection of donated items, the museum has since found a permanent location in Zagreb
, Croatia
. In 2011, the Museum of Broken Relationships received the Kenneth Hudson Award for the most innovative museum in Europe
.
In the years that followed, the collection went on a world tour, visiting Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, FYROM, the Philippines, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Along the way, it gathered new items donated by members of the public; more than 30 objects were donated by Berlin
ers alone during the exhibition in that city in 2007.
In the meantime, after unsuccessful attempts to interest the Croatian Ministry of Culture
in finding a temporary location for the museum, Vištica and Grubišić decided to make a private investment and rent a 300 square metres (358.8 sq yd) space in Zagreb's Upper Town
, making it the city's first privately-owned museum. The museum, finally opened in October 2010, proved popular with foreign tourists in particular, not only due to its original subject matter, but also the fact that it is open seven days a week, unlike other museums in the city.
In May 2011, the Museum of Broken Relationships received the Kenneth Hudson Award, given out by the European Museum Forum
(EMF). The award goes to "a museum, person, project or group of people who have demonstrated the most unusual, daring and, perhaps, controversial achievement that challenges common perceptions of the role of museums in society", rating the "importance of public quality and innovation as fundamental elements of a successful museum". The EMF's judging panel noted:
The project is divided into several segments:
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
dedicated to failed love relationships. Its exhibits are personal objects left over from former lovers which are accompanied by brief descriptions. At first a traveling collection of donated items, the museum has since found a permanent location in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. In 2011, the Museum of Broken Relationships received the Kenneth Hudson Award for the most innovative museum in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
History
The museum was founded by two Zagreb-based artists, Olinka Vištica, a film producer, and Dražen Grubišić, a sculptor. After their four-year love relationship came to an end in 2003, the two joked about setting up a museum to house the left-over personal items. Three years later, Grubišić contacted Vištica with this idea, this time in earnest. They started asking their friends to donate objects left behind from their break-ups, and the collection was born. It was shown to the public for the first time in 2006, in Gliptotheque Zagreb, as a part of the 41st Zagreb Salon.In the years that followed, the collection went on a world tour, visiting Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, FYROM, the Philippines, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Along the way, it gathered new items donated by members of the public; more than 30 objects were donated by Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
ers alone during the exhibition in that city in 2007.
In the meantime, after unsuccessful attempts to interest the Croatian Ministry of Culture
Ministry of Culture (Croatia)
The Ministry of Culture is a ministry of the Croatian government, whose work is aimed at preserving the cultural and natural heritage and overseeing its development...
in finding a temporary location for the museum, Vištica and Grubišić decided to make a private investment and rent a 300 square metres (358.8 sq yd) space in Zagreb's Upper Town
Gradec, Zagreb
Gradec or Grič is a part of the Zagreb, Croatia, and together with Kaptol it is the mediaeval nucleus of the city. It's situated on the hill of Gornji Grad.- History :Gradec was given a royal charter by King Bela IV in 1242...
, making it the city's first privately-owned museum. The museum, finally opened in October 2010, proved popular with foreign tourists in particular, not only due to its original subject matter, but also the fact that it is open seven days a week, unlike other museums in the city.
In May 2011, the Museum of Broken Relationships received the Kenneth Hudson Award, given out by the European Museum Forum
European Museum Forum
The European Museum Forum is a museum organization under the Council of Europe. It is an independent, non-profit-making charity, registered in the United Kingdom and founded in 1977....
(EMF). The award goes to "a museum, person, project or group of people who have demonstrated the most unusual, daring and, perhaps, controversial achievement that challenges common perceptions of the role of museums in society", rating the "importance of public quality and innovation as fundamental elements of a successful museum". The EMF's judging panel noted:
- The Museum of Broken Relationships encourages discussion and reflection not only on the fragility of human relationships but also on the political, social and cultural circumstances surrounding the stories being told. The museum respects the audience's capacity for understanding wider historical, social issues inherent to different cultures and identities and provides a catharsis for donors on a more personal level.
Concept
The Museum of Broken Relationships is described by its founders as "an art concept which proceeds from the (scientific) assumption that objects (in the broadest sense, i.e., matter as a whole) possess integrated fields - ‘holograms’ of memories and emotions - and intends with its layout to create a space of ‘secure memory’ or ‘protected remembrance’ in order to preserve the material and nonmaterial heritage of broken relationships".The project is divided into several segments:
- Material remains layout includes the objects and documents (photographs, letters, messages). Items are presented with dates and locations of the relationship, and annotations by their anonymous donors. Due to physical constraints, older exhibits may be archived and transferred to the virtual part of the museum.
- Virtual web museum enables the registered visitors to become donors through uploading their images and documents. Donors can decide whether to open their personal collections for viewing by other users of the museum.
- Confessional is the interactive part of the museum in which visitors can store their objects or messages, or record their confessions in a restricted and intimate space.