CONTACT ZONE 01
Coming Out Museum - COME
Coming Out Museum (COME) is the first project implemented as part of the CONTACT ZONE program and is the result of a collaborative effort between the Ethnographic Museum of Istria (EMI) and the organization
Proces
, which promotes queer culture and LGBTIQ+ rights in Pula.
The project authors began by researching crucial moments in the process of understanding and accepting one's identity among individuals from the LGBTQ+ community, with a focus on transitional phases reflected in the personal experiences of research participants. Coming out is a long-lasting, lifelong process. From the initial acknowledgment to oneself, through friends, family, and colleagues at school and work, to moments of acceptance and the honest expression of one's identity, the coming-out journey is marked by significant milestones and turning points.
The idea is to connect these important moments of understanding and accepting one’s identity, receiving acceptance from the community, and connecting with the broader LGBTIQ+ community to specific objects that serve as "memory triggers" for lived experiences. These objects and the stories of participants will ultimately become part of the exhibition display.
The initial results were developed in late 2023 on an online platform featuring a virtual museum that displays the collected objects along with their biographies. In June 2024, the first exhibition, Coming Out Museum Encounters, was held in Pula. From the outset, the exhibition was designed to travel and be hosted in various locations. This approach allows the collected stories to reach a wider audience, while the collection itself and future displays open the door for gathering new objects and narratives. For more information about the project, the virtual collection, and the exhibitions: https://come.lgbt.
Project authors:
Mario Buletić, mario@emi.hr
Jan Franjul, jan@franjul.hr