When I saw the subject of this article, I couldn’t help clicking on it. A Museum of Failed Relationships?
The founders Olinka Vistica and Drazen Grubisic set up this museum of “artifacts” of failed love affairs after consoling many friends through breakups. Exhibited are teddy bears, love letters, photos, and other objects representing relationships, all donated anonymously.
At first I laughed out loud at the idea of this museum, but then I thought they might be on to something. I imagine visitors to this exhibit will come at many different stages of breakup, from the first days when nothing seems like it will ever be right to people who have moved on and are living happily in a new relationship. In that way, I imagine everyone will relate to something in this exhibit.
I also think it would be interesting to see the objects people choose to represent a failed relationship. How interesting that one object could possibly give an idea of an entire complex, emotional relationship!
The museum is now on world tour. From their website,
Unlike the destructive self-help instructions for recovery from failed loves, the Museum offers every individual the chance to overcome the emotional collapse through creation, i.e., by contributing to the holdings of the Museum. The individual gets rid of controversial objects , triggers of momentarily undesirable emotions, by turning them into museum exhibits, i.e., artefacts and thereby participating in the creation of a preserved collective emotional history.
What a great idea of allowing visitors to leave their own remnants from failed relationships! The exhibit will constantly be changing and will become even more universal.
I don’t know…I still think it’s a little silly, but if it came to my town, I’d go! Would you?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
That’s really interesting. I wonder if it’s more cathartic or depressing. It sounds like it’d be great for those looking for love or just out of love, but sad for those in love (like the worst that could happen.)
What an interesting idea. It sounds like it would be just the place for someone who needed to know that they weren’t alone – in some sorts. Pretty cool.
I would totally go!!!
Weird! But probably good for some laughs. It would be hard to take it seriously.