Museum of Broken Relationships

From an article in the November 25, 2010 Economist:

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... The Museum of Broken Relationships, whose entire collection is made up of objects remaining in the wake of failed relationships, or in some cases, after death.

The museum is the brainchild of two artists, Olinka Vistica and Drazen Grubisic. They went out together between 1999 and 2003, and when they broke up they did not know what to do with all sorts of treasured items that meant something only to them, for example their wind-up, hopping bunny, which they had wanted to take pictures of around the world. The only solution? "We should set up a museum," they laughed.

Three years later Mr Grubisic called Ms Vistica. He said: "You know that idea we had…?" So, the pair set to asking their friends to donate objects that had been left behind after break-ups. To their surprise, they did. The first exhibition opened in a container. Since then the idea has taken off. Lugging everything from garter belts to garden gnomes around in suitcases they have taken their ever-expanding collection all over the world. Last month they opened the museum’s first permanent gallery, in Zagreb’s old town.

... the sometimes heart-rending tales or even just simple sentences accompanying each item bring it all to life. For example, alongside a French identity card a Slovene has written: "The only thing left of a great love was citizenship.' One woman, who gave an axe [top], recounts how she used it to chop her girlfriend’s furniture into tiny pieces when she left her. The ex collected the remains and "the axe was promoted to a therapy instrument."

From Switzerland someone has donated an unopened packet containing a candy G-string. "He turned out to be as cheap and shabby as his presents."