Should There be a ‘Museum of Love’ in NYC?
Today I saw a recent article in the NY Times about The Museum of Broken Relationships. It is centered in Croatia and has been on tour. It originated when two artists split up and they were sorting through their common assets. It was difficult to split up their most beloved things. They started similar possessions from friends to create an exhibition that has now travelled to 12 countries. It has been in San Francisco and will come to the USA again. The love objects tell a story of broken love and they also reflect the cultures they came from. Some examples include a container filled with tears, a cell phone given to a woman from a man so that she could not call him anymore and a woman’s hair that she cut in a moment of intensity. It has romantic and touching letters and photographs and every item has a description related to the relationship from which it derived. All items are anonymous. You can even try to send in your own donation item by downloading a form here: http://www.brokenships.com/sendex.php and check out their exhibitions at: www.brokenships.com . I love their context that this museum offers people the chance to overcome emotional collapse through creation.
In NYC there is also The Museum of Sex that I have not been to as yet. Their website is www.museumofsex.com . They have exhibitions including Rubbers, The Sex Life of Robots, The sex Lives of Animals, Naked Ambition, Sex Machines and many more and admission is around $15 per person. This museum explores the vicissitudes of sex.
When I googled ‘Museum of Love,’ guess what came up? The Museum of Fat Love, an online gallery of overweight people in love. It is described as ‘an incomplete collection of evidence proving the existence of those not-so-rare creatures: fat people in love.’ When you click on the thumb nail of the couples’ photo you can read their story. You can see the website at: http://love.twowholecakes.org/
Then I did find something called ‘Museum of Love’ a virtual online museum featuring love stories, love products, free tarot readings and paintings of historic lovers. The website is: http://museumoflove.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 . You can even send a free love postcard from the website. Kris Waldherr was the creator and she also has a gallery at 1501 Newkirk Avenue in Brooklyn, NY that has an exhibit called ‘Art and Words’ from February 6th to April 4th and most events are free. Call 347-406-5811 for information. Although this seems fun and worth checking out it sounds like it’s mostly centered around this particular author’s tarot and love products.
I also came across something called ‘The Global Love Museum’ at http://www.globallovemuseum.net/love.aspx?id=13 which seems to be an emerging online website that will display your stories of love and that intends to have an online love museum of photography, art and music. I did not look that long so maybe other love museums exist.
But I still think that a physical Love Museum in NYC could house collective art from artists who want to express their stories of romantic love including many mediums like photography, embroidery, sculpture, collage, painting etc. There could be divisions including dating, long-term relationships, co-habitation, marriage, divorce etc. Maybe it could even be called ‘The Developmental Love Museum.’
As the ‘NY Love Examiner’ and a psychologist and teacher who constantly hears about stories of love, I think love is ripe with creative expression and god knows there are artists worldwide looking for opportunities to create and exhibit meaningful work. Anyway… just a thought.
My Best in Love,
Paulette
Dr. Paulette Kouffman Sherman is the author of ‘Dating from the Inside out: How to Use the Law of Attraction in Matters of the Heart’ published by Atria books.
Related Links:
http://www.brokenships.com/about.php
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/15/arts/design/15broken.html
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89785613
http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/broken-heart-museum/6crkf37
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/around-town/events/Museum_Of_Broken_Relationships_Bay_Area.html