Celebrating broken hearts

When a relationship falls apart, the once shared relics and accumulated possessions often give a heartache of sorts. Which is why the Tristan Bates Theatre in London has set up an award-winning exhibition called the Museum of Broken Relationships where you can turn in those bittersweet memories — from a discarded wedding dress, an "I Love You" Teddy bear and love letters — for all to see.

Items already donated by heartbroken owners include a prosthetic leg, a pair of handcuffs, a collection of Proust novels — complete with sand between the pages — and a set of seven bras.

Most of the objects are displayed anonymously and each one comes with a caption that includes the location, date and length of relationship.

The concept was dreamt up eight years ago in Croatia when film producer Olinka Vistica and designer and artist Drazen Grubisic split up after four years, reports the Daily Mail. They refused to treat their broken relationship ‘like an illness’ and instead set about celebrating their time together.

They asked their friends to donate their own discarded love tokens and soon built up a large collection.

The London stop of the exhibition’s world tour, was held recently at two Covent Garden venues: the Tristan Bates Theatre and 38 Earlham Street.

Laura Kriefman, of the Tristan Bates Theatre, said: "As you walk around reading these stories some of them are full of anger and hurt while others are full of joy and resilience." — ANI

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