Everyone Taking Photos? at the Jena City Museum: Experience Photography as Cultural Memory
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Discovering Jena Through the Lens of Photography
The exhibition Everyone Taking Photos? Everyday and Amateur Photography in Jena at the Jena City Museum explores the diverse history of local photography. From early amateur images to photo circles in the GDR and contemporary image practices on social media, a multifaceted dialogue emerges between the past and the present.
Photography as Memory and Cultural Practice
Historical photographs from the collections of the City Museum, private archives, and images from Jena's photo clubs reveal how pictures preserve personal memories while also documenting the history of the city. Photography appears as a creative medium of expression, a social bond, and a visual memory of the city.
From Analog Prints to Smartphone Images
The curation spans from the beginnings of amateur photography through communal photo circles in the GDR to the digital image worlds of social media. Analog prints, family photos, and photographic evidence of everyday life come together with the current works of social media photographers. This makes the transformation of visual language, technology, and sharing methods tangible.
UNIFOK Jena and the History of Amateur Photography
Special attention is given to the traditional photo circle UNIFOK Jena e. V., which has shaped the photographic scene in the city since the 1960s. Opened archives and selected works provide insights into individual image biographies, communal learning, and photographic practices in the GDR. An accompanying publication documents the development of the association and the work of its members.
Exhibition as Research and Educational Project
The exhibition connects the history of photography, everyday culture, media history, and visual anthropology. It is part of a nationwide research and transfer project coordinated by the Institute for Saxon History and Folklore in Dresden, as well as the Institute for Cultural Anthropology and European Ethnology at the University of Göttingen, and is funded by the German Research Foundation. Participating partners include the Seminar for Cultural Anthropology and Cultural History at the University of Jena, the Technical Collections of Dresden, and the LWL Museum Henrichshütte.
Get Involved and Sharpen Your Perspective
Accompanying events and participation formats expand the exploration of the works. In the photo competition Jena discovers – my favorite place or view, visitors can contribute their own perspectives on the city. The exhibition thus opens an art experience that connects cultural education with personal experience.
Conclusion: Seeing Images, Understanding History
Visitors can expect an atmospheric exhibition about everyday life, memory, community, and the transformation of photographic media. The aesthetic experience ranges from familiar family photos to digital self-staging. Anyone who wants to experience Jena, photography, and city history from a new perspective should definitely visit this expertly curated exhibition live.
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