Oyiza Adaba Visits The Museum of Broken Relationships
by oyiza adaba
The Museum of BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS
Zagreb, Croatia
“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.”
With a few hours to my flight, of all Croatia's 222 museums, I chose to visit The Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb's city center. I was curious, and thought it interesting to encounter first hand, how people confronted their past relationships. The museum was founded by two individuals, an artist/film producer, and a sculptor, who survived a breakup. Three years after joking about how to store their personal items, their maturity and innovation led to the museum's first public showing in 2006.
Since then, it has enjoyed an extensive travel history as a global traveling exhibition to nearly 60 locations from South Africa to North Macedonia. The museum's popularity with fans and tourists is its unique relatable subject matter, and main concept of personal objects from failed relationships. It is something, to which most living beings can relate.
"Brokenships", as it’s popularly called, is a reflection of Croatia's tenacity to overcome its dark history of war and conflict. The beauty of this peaceful country lies in its ability to confront its past, in order to move forward. It is no wonder that the country houses 10 UNESCO World Heritage sites and 15 intangible cultural heritage items. Art in itself, is healing.
Croatia is a country of 3.9 million people that sits in the Balkans surrounded by Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Italy. Beyond its war history, Croatia's historical significance includes Neanderthal fossils and many significant cultural sites.
According to the Croatia Tourism Board, Tourism accounts for up to 20% of the country’s GDP, providing a rich cultural scene, with professional and amateur theaters, orchestras, and cinemas. Croatia operates as a republic with a parliamentary system, and is a member of the EU, Schengen area, the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
The 2011 KENNETH HUDSON AWARD, presented by The EUROPEAN MUSEUM FORUM (EMF) 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". (Photo by Africa-Related. Source: Wikipedia).
Photos by Africa-Related
