REPARAR E REÜTILISAR

Object stories of reuse
On the occasion of the European Heritage Days under the motto "Repair and Reuse", the Museum Kloster St. Johann in Müstair is presenting its own objects that have been used for centuries or have been repaired or converted for other purposes. The exhibition in the refectory runs until fall 2024.

Over the course of the monastery's 1200-year history, it was not only the buildings in Müstair that were repeatedly renovated, extended and redesigned. The objects used by the Benedictine nuns, at least since their transformation into a convent in the 12th century, have often been in use for decades and centuries and some of them are still in use today.
This continuity of use has resulted in numerous traces of reuse, conversion, renovation or repair, which can be seen in the buildings and objects. For example, fragments of the Carolingian choir screen were deliberately reused as grave goods, ceramic pots were mended with metal and book pages were reused as bindings. Last but not least, numerous textiles bear witness to a lively "upcycling" practice in the monastery.
Reduce - Reuse - Repair - Recycle: these are just a few of the buzzwords used in current sustainability efforts. The careful use of resources is more relevant than ever in view of global warming, but it is not a new phenomenon - it has always been an important part of our way of life.
Reuse also characterizes the building history of the St. Johann monastery in Müstair and manifests itself impressively in a wide variety of objects.