Initiatives / Experiments / Visions
Industrial Photography Saloon
Author Name
Muzeul Cineastului AmatorProfession
MuseumCollaborators (team members)
Romulus Vasile Ioan, Andrei Bălbărău, Ioana CioleaLocation
Reșița, Caraș-Severin, România
Project description
Reșița has always been very connected with the word "industry". In 2021, the city celebrated 250 years of industry, and in the same year, a new hybrid space opened, The Industrial Photography Saloon. Located in the former Steel Mill Reșița museum, wich was active until the 90's, the actual administration of the factory (TMK Resita), helped and managed to open the space again. The initiative came from Muzeul Cineastului Amator, with the proposal of monthly photography exhibitions, all related to industry and history of the city. While the factory adminstration cleaned up the space, more industrial pieces were found through the factory spaces, and in time, the collection grew, from workers equipments, to industrial machines, to paintings, diplomas etc. The most important exhibits inside the former museum is the printed photographs, made by Ioan Mato, whom was the official photographer of the factory. This alternative space showed the history of the city, but also aspects of national and international industry, per example there was an exhibition with photographs of Viktor Macha, a czech who documented over 250 industrial center in the world. Until 2021, the place was used as a protocol and conferences bulding, and until 1990, the library of the factory was open, wich is annexed to this building. The location of the building is crucial, it marks the beginning of the Muncitoresc(Workers) neighborhood, in an area where a lot of changes were made during the expanding of the factory, mid 70's, including erasing of whole rows of houses. The building can be seen in a photograph from 1872, then a litograph from 1890, and in 1917 the tower appears. Nowadays, is open during the weekends, free of charge, and people have the chance to revisit some parts of the history, as formes workers from the factory would often visit. Since the opening in 2021, the Saloon took part in a visiting tour organized for White Night of Museums, event that brought almost 100 visitors in 4 hours.
Author's presentation text
The Amateur Filmmakers Museum is a unique private initiative in Romania that aims to research and bring back to the public's attention the Romanian cinema movement. The main directions of the museum are the collection of equipment used by filmmakers (film cameras, projectors, screens, film cutting and pasting presses, films on film), the collection of pieces related to the film industry and culture ( movie posters, pictures from movies, pictures with actors, film programs) and facilitating public access to the exhibitions.
