On Tuesday, May 26 at 6 PM, join us for the launch of a magazine through which MSU will reveal itself as a centre of gossip. The magazine will be presented by artist Femke Hoppenbrouwer together with members of the editorial team, Vesna Dianek and Vesna Stojnić.

The event is the final programme of artist and social designer Femke Hoppenbrouwer, resident of the Museum of the Commons project and the Točka sastajanja (Meeting Point) project. During her month-long stay in Zagreb, Femke explored everyday forms of social interaction and the ways in which we build relationships within communities through conversations with local residents and representatives of MSU communities, walks with Vanja Radovanović, and encounters with the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art.

The topic she chose to focus on emerged directly from these meetings and conversations — gossiping and complaining about others, something many interlocutors described as a typical Croatian characteristic, mostly in a negative context.

In line with her previous work, Femke seeks to challenge conventional perceptions of gossip and talking about others. She does not see them solely as forms of malice or superficial entertainment, but also as important social mechanisms: ways in which, through conversation, we try to understand others, crystallise our own thoughts, validate emotions, and cope with everyday insecurities and difficulties. This is especially important in a time marked by heightened individualisation and information overload, when these forms of informal conversation create a sense of belonging and actively shape communities. Gossip thus becomes a space of social connection and involvement — a sign that people pay attention to one another.

In her research, Femke particularly highlights women who observe neighbourhood life — the eyes and ears of the community, guardians of everyday micro-relations and local stories. These local narratives will come into focus during the final event, as the museum temporarily transforms into a space of whispered gossip.

Femke Hoppenbrouwer is a young Dutch artist and social designer whose practice combines fieldwork, collaboration with communities, and artistic experimentation to explore invisible aspects of society and question social stigmas and established ways of thinking.

Secure your copy of the magazine — see you at MSU on May 26 at 6 PM!

The event will be held in English, with some parts in Croatian.

Curator: Renata Filčić

Assistant: Sara Stojev

Working group: Aida Biščević Šehović, Vesna Dianek, Dijana Jaguljnjak, Anita Pamuković Vlainić, Vesna Ražantović, Zdenka Srzentić Grčar, Vesna Stojnić.

The Točka sastajanja (Meeting Point) project and the Museum of the Commons residency programme are supported by the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, the City of Zagreb, and Creative Europe.