Herron Galleries and sites around Indianapolis, IN.
February 8 – april 22, 2023
What remains when relationships end? Memories. Feelings. Possibilities. And objects. Everyday items might take on new meanings in the wake of a changed relationship. Belongings that were once special might lose their power – or carry too much.
The Museum of Broken Relationships Indianapolis is a collaboration between the IUPUI Museum Studies Program, the Museum of Broken Relationships (Zagreb, Croatia), and partners across Indianapolis. The exhibition features objects and stories of heartbreak and healing donated by people from Indianapolis and around the world. In addition to a major installation at Herron Galleries on the IUPUI campus, a series of student-curated satellite displays extend the exhibit into community spaces.
I co-led the Indianapolis team with my Museum Studies colleague Lois H. Silverman. We worked closely with museum co-founders Olinka Vištica and Dražen Grubišić, collection manager Charlotte Fuentes, and partners across Indianapolis to develop the exhibit. Students in my fall 2023 Curatorial Practices course cultivated local donations of objects and stories, developed an interactive element for the exhibit at Herron Galleries, and curated seven site-specific satellite displays. Students in Dr. Silverman’s Museum Education course created an array of educational tools and public programs for the exhibit. Learn more about students’ work on the Museum Studies Program blog.
At the exhibit opening Lois Silverman and I spoke with artists Olinka Vištica and Dražen Grubišić about their experiences with the museum and the lessons they’ve learned about love, loss, and growth.
The Museum of Broken Relationships Indianapolis was made possible by the Republic of Croatia Ministry of Culture and Media, the Edgar and Dorothy Fehnel Chair in International Studies fund, the IU School of Liberal Arts, and the IUPUI Center for Service and Learning.