‘‘We came across a typical self-help guide which advised to go shopping, get drunk with your friends, forget and destroy everything,’’ Ms Vistica said.
But the advice was not a good fit for the Croatian couple.
She said they were looking for a kind way to deal with going their own separate ways, and at the same time, keep some part of their ‘‘emotional heritage’’ alive.
‘‘Looking around us, there was this little wind-up toy we called Honey Bunny, which was sort of a joke we played between each other.
‘‘When you go separate ways, it’s easy to divide possessions but when you come across something that has meaning to both of us, it was hard.
‘‘So we imagined a kind of symbolic space — a place where it could exist with other objects and their stories, a place where it is not hurting you because you need to recover and continue.’’
And so, the Museum of Broken Relationships was born.
The duo, now separated, have been working together for the past 15 years, touring a collection of locally and internationally sourced mementos from people’s relationships, telling stories of the heartache that comes from their break-ups.
One of the objects on display at Otago Museum is a large block of Caramilk chocolate, signifying the break-up between Cadbury and its employees at the Dunedin factory which closed in 2017.
The award-winning exhibition has travelled the world to international acclaim, and for the first time, it is now at Otago Museum.
Mr Grubisic said the popular exhibition elicited varied reactions.
‘‘You have young couples ... usually the girl wants to come in, the guy is more hesitant. But whenever they come out, they come out much closer together, hugging and kissing. And then you have people coming out who are in the middle of a break-up. They are in tears and they talk to our stuff and there are hugs.
‘‘... It’s a sort of catharsis. I’m sure it helps a lot of people.’’
