The ex effect: The Museum of Broken Relationships

Started by filmproducer Olinka Viscarontica and artist Dra en Grubiscaronic the Museum of Broken Relationships has earned the Kenneth Hudson Award 2011 for the Most Innovative European MuseumThe Museum of Broken Relationships is filled with exhibits donated by people from across the globe the only criteria being that it should be from an ended relationship Pic CourtesyMuseum of Broken Relationships ZagrebAnd the story behind it is just as intriguing mdash after the end of their fouryear relationship Viscarontica and Grubiscaronic were left with the arduous task of dividing their joint possessions Thats when they came up with the idea of finding a place to house the mementoes of their lost loveHere goes the bride Over the years the museum has received several wedding dresses They speak volumes even without the accompanying note while others make for a good read with cheeky notes asking Will I get it back if I ever decide to marry again Pic CourtesyAna Opalic Museum of Broken RelationshipsThe museum was born of personal exhibits and those donated by family and friends Soon the universal theme found stories everywhere mdash from the creators hometown in Zagreb the capital of Croatia to the farflung corners of India Today anybody with a broken heart can find wallspace hereThe ex and the axe A man returns from a short trip to find that his livein girlfriend is a lesbian He kicks her out She holidays with her girlfriend For every day she is away he hacks a piece of her furniture The more her room filled with chopped furniture acquiring the look of my soul the better I felt the axe was promoted to a therapy instrument PicKiran MehtaBeing part of the museum is as easy as filling up an online form and mailing in an object Whats more all donations are accepted except those deemed offensiveA million little pieces A man serves his wife divorce papers He arrived arrogant and heartless At that moment the dwarf perched on the gate flew over the windscreen of his car rebounded and landed on the asphalt It was a long loop drawing an arc of time mdash and this shortlong arc defined the end of love Pic CourtesyAna Opalic Museum of Broken RelationshipsOver the years hundreds of exhibits have become part of the museum mdash some permanent others as part of travelling exhibitions to different countries and some ironically replaced with newer younger donations over timeA relationship without a leg to stand on In a Zagreb hospital cupid struck a patient and a hospital worker But as the note reads The prosthesis endured longer than our love It was made of sturdier material Pic CourtesyAna Opalic Museum of Broken RelationshipsWalking through the museum feels a tad voyeuristic it is meant to be cathartic and is extremely entertainingIn black and white A writer married her favourite editor The best man also an editor made her a paper bouquet On the eve of their fifth wedding anniversary she finds hes cheating on her and some of their friends are aware of it One among those is her best friend who penned a novel with her Her note aptly reads Guess this is what it means to be hurt by a papercut PicKiran MehtaAn anonymous note accompanying each exhibit tells all in a few printed words a relationship is lived and lostIndia is represented here tooDesi Boy A South Indian boy from Andhra Pradesh falls in love with a Manipuri girl from the Northeast She is cute and white I am handsome and a bit dark Distance makes her heart wander So he donates the gifts they exchanged PicKiran MehtaPuppy Love A little boy from India is smitten by a little girl who lives next door He moves to another apartment but the crush doesnt fade When they come of age the girls family sends a proposal to the boys family The boys parents refuse as he is not financially stable The girl marries another The boy grieves the loss of his first love and is left with a few trinkets of their childhood mdash pieces of her red bangles Pic CourtesyNatasa Njegovanovic Museum of Broken RelationshipsA twist to 50 shades of grey Preteens fall in love and vow to marry They lose touch The girl grows up to be a prostitute who is working on a book on SampM She goes to work for a dominatrix Her first client wasnt submissive enough so she makes him lick her stiletto She can see his face Its him They are kids once again Hes on his second marriage and wants to make it work They spend a few hours together and decide never to see each other He keeps one of her stilettos She donates the other PicKiran Mehta