Everyone Taking Pictures? History of Photography and Everyday Culture at the Jena City Museum
Date and Time
Location
Price
About this Event
Mood
Venue Type
Jena in the Mirror of Photography: Everyday Life, Memory, and Community
The exhibition Everyone Taking Pictures? Everyday and Amateur Photography in Jena at the Jena City Museum is dedicated to the local history of photography. From early amateur images to the photo circles of the GDR and smartphone photography on social media, a multi-voiced panorama of photographic image culture unfolds.
Between Family Album and City History
Historical photographs from the collections of the City Museum, private photo archives, and materials from Jena’s photography clubs enter into a dynamic dialogue with current works by social media photographers. Photography appears as a creative means of expression, a medium of memory, and a social link.
The Photo Circle UNIFOK Jena
A particular emphasis is placed on the long-standing photo circle UNIFOK Jena e. V., which has shaped the photographic scene of the city since the 1960s. Its archives provide insights into the photographic creations of amateur photographers in the GDR and show how communal learning, work reviews, and aesthetic experiences shaped a local photo culture.
From Analog Print to Digital Feed
The curation connects the history of photography, city history, and media culture. Analog prints, documentary images, private snapshots, and digital image practices make visible how photographic techniques, image languages, and forms of sharing have changed. At the same time, the exhibition poses the question of what our images tell us about Jena, its residents, and social change.
Research and Cultural Education
The exhibition is part of a nationwide research and transfer project on amateur and everyday photography. Involved are, among others, the Institute for Saxon History and Folklore, the University of Göttingen, the Seminar for Cultural Anthropology and Cultural History at the University of Jena, the Technical Collections in Dresden, and the LWL Museum Henrichshütte. Accompanying events and participation formats, including a photography competition, invite contributions of personal perspectives.
Conclusion: Experience Photographic History Live
Visitors can expect an inspiring artistic experience about images that preserve private memories and make collective history visible. The exhibition combines art historical classification, visual anthropology, and cultural education into a relatable exploration of works. Anyone wanting to understand photography as part of life, city history, and social interaction should definitely experience this exhibition on-site.
Official Channels of the Jena City Museum:
- Instagram: no official profile found
- Facebook: no official profile found
- YouTube: no official profile found
- Website: https://www.stadtmuseum-jena.de/de/ausstellungen/wechselausstellungen/1047159?template_id=6059
