On 21 September, an installation made of handmade forget-me-nots was presented in the courtyard of University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapče, Zagreb, Croatia to mark World Alzheimer’s Day. The forget-me-nots were created by patients, staff, families and members of the wider community. Most were crocheted or woven, while flowers made using other techniques were also welcomed, as the invitation was open to everyone who wished to take part. More than 2,000 flowers were eventually brought together for the installation.
Patients were involved throughout the process, not only making forget-me-nots but also helping to assemble and install the final piece in the hospital courtyard. In this way, work created through individual contributions became part of a shared result that could be seen and experienced by others. The initiative also strengthened the ongoing collaboration with the University of Zagreb Faculty of Textile Technology, which, together with its students, contributed to shaping and creating the final installation. The collaboration will continue through further joint activities.
By bringing the work of patients and the wider community into a shared public space, the installation also offered a simple way of drawing attention to dementia and the people living with it. The programme also included a lecture on the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and treatment options, open to patients, families and other interested members of the public.
Each forget-me-not began with someone taking the time to make a single flower. Together, they formed one installation, bringing many individual contributions into one shared whole. And at the heart of it was the simple message carried by the flower itself: Don’t forget me.
