a specialty store for forgotten private photographs?



The shop collects, archives and presents lost, private photographs, which have been found at flea markets, in junk-shops or eBay. The images presented in the FOTOTHEK-Archive are diplayed in various ways and are used as a visual pool for the artistic body of knowledge. The FOTOTHEK is an open art project that deals with the public. It is possible to challenge the social significance of the photographs with such an interactive, processual way of working.

The FOTOTHEK presents analog imagery of anonymous past lifes. By showing private moments which are no longer remembered, the photographs lose their function as an individual source of memory. The project questions the potential value of these pictures outside of their original context. As the image-material will be reprocessed and reused, it exercises image recycling in order to visualise the narrative, aesthetic and cultural dimension of such images.

As a public space, the FOTOTHEK extends an invitation to everyone who wants to experience the large collection of found photographs. In addition to the ever-changing presentation of the collection, the shop makes various offers with the private image. Although the pictures themselves are not for sale, the shop provides services such as the transmission of image messages, the adoption or rental of photographs

Besides the novel usage of the images, the FOTOTHEK wants to increase the visitors’ awareness of this forgotten imagery – also in association with their own private archive.

This project was started within the framework of the diploma of Anke Heelemann, Graduate of Media Design at Bauhaus-University in Weimar.

See all pictures of the week:
http://antville.medien.uni-weimar.de/fotothek/topics/BILDER+DER+WOCHE

Or just get same images of the shop:
http://antville.medien.uni-weimar.de/fotothek/stories/10702/

See also the detailed report on www.dw-world.de:
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2215700,00.html
or just hear an english feature on the website of heritage radio network: http://heritageradio.net/cms2/summer-course-2006/#chapter03



For further information or special requests, write an email to
info(at)vergessene-fotos.de