11 September 2011

Museum of Broken Relationships

Recommended by my sister, I went to see the Museum of Broken Relationships in Covent Garden. I was told it would make me laugh and cry, and was advised to bring a box of tissues!

The Museum exhibition was broken up into two halves, one resided in the Tristan Bates Theatre and the other in a small shop just down the road past Chicago. Stepping into the exhibition, the soft and dim lighting combined with the precious belongings from lost loves created an intimate space.

The Museum was adorned with paper - including the work of Alice Bray who created Rob Ryan-esque large-scale cut-outs.

My favourite part of the exhibition was the work of the very talented George Triggs, whose sculpture "Broken" was beautiful and thought provoking.


The belongings from love lost were donated to the Museum by the public, and had small descriptions to accompany. I was particularly amused by the painting below that was given to a girlfriend as a gift. The girlfriend, not knowing the meaning behind the painting, thought that it was a metaphor for the power and endurance of their love. I wonder if she knew that her boyfriend was simply a fan of the anime series Naruto?


Some stories were sad, some silly and others funny. The champagne cork was a favourite of mine - a mark of celebration and relief.


Someone had even donated their wedding album...



On leaving the space, you were greeted with a black brick wall covered in messages written by visitors in white pen. Some messages were about the exhibition itself, and others were written donations of their own stories of love lost. I made my own written donation.

For more information on the possessions on show, some are on the Broken Relationships website. Be sure to check out the "I Love You" Teddy Bear...!

Unfortunately the Museum of Broken Relationships has been and gone, but don't worry I have a feeling this successful exhibition will return to London again soon.