Everyone Taking Photos? at Jena City Museum: Photography as the History of Everyday Life
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Discover Photography as a Mirror of Everyday Life in Jena
The exhibition Everyone Taking Photos? Everyday and Amateur Photography in Jena at the Jena City Museum is dedicated to local photographic culture from its early beginnings to current image practices in social media. From September 4 to December 30, 2026, historical photographs, private image archives, images from GDR photo clubs, and current works by social media photographers will come together.
Between Memory, Everyday Life, and Identity
Photography is presented here not just as technical image production, but as a cultural practice. It preserves personal memories, documents societal changes, and shapes the perspective on one's own city. The exhibition asks what private and amateur photographs reveal about Jena, its residents, and the respective time.
A Dialogue Between Analog and Digital Imagery
The exhibition traverses different epochs of photographic history. Early amateur photographs encounter image series from GDR photo clubs and contemporary contributions from social networks. This juxtaposition makes visible how materials, image aesthetics, and modes of publication have changed, while the need for self-expression, belonging, and memory persists.
Artwork Examination with a Societal Perspective
The exhibition atmosphere arises from the tension between private moments and public image culture. Photographs become visual testimonies of everyday life: they show people, spaces, routines, and special moments. The artistic experience combines historical research with aesthetic experience and opens a critical reflection on visibility, authenticity, and the evolution of photographic media.
Cultural Education at the City Museum
As an exhibition of the Jena City Museum, the project connects art historical classification with city history and cultural education. Curator Teresa Thieme institutionally accompanies the presentation. Complementary guided tours and museum educational events surrounding the special exhibition deepen the access to photography as a medium of personal and collective memory.
Conclusion: A Personal Perspective on the History of Seeing
The exhibition shows that photography always tells a story of coexistence. Visitors can expect an engaging examination of works between archive, amateur images, and social media aesthetics. Those who wish to discover Jena from new viewpoints and critically question their own image practice will find a dense, educational, and sensory artistic experience here.
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- Website: https://www.stadtmuseum-jena.de/de/1041194
