MEETINGS: "Anatomy of Photography – How to Protect Photographic Collections in Practice?". A workshop for people building and managing their own archives

Registration: fundacja@faf.org.pl

Photography is not only an image, but also a material object – paper, emulsion, light-sensitive layers, and traces of chemical processes, handling, and the passage of time. What can we discover when we stop looking solely at what a photograph depicts and turn our attention to the materiality of the photograph itself?

During this intimate workshop at the Foundation for Archeology of Photography (FAF), participants will explore aspects of photography that usually remain invisible to the naked eye. Together, we will examine prints, negatives, and other photographic materials, learning how to identify different techniques, signs of ageing, and common conservation issues. A microscope will also be available, allowing us to examine selected examples at high magnification.

The workshop will combine an introduction to the materiality and preservation of photography with hands-on work with photographic objects. Participants will have an opportunity to examine selected archival materials themselves, learn the principles of safely handling photographs, and try basic methods of cleaning photographic negatives.

Participants are also encouraged to bring their own photographs – whether from family archives, private collections, or their own artistic practice. Together, we will look at selected examples, consider their photographic techniques and condition, identify characteristic signs of ageing, and discuss how to care for photographic collections responsibly.

The workshop is intended both for artists developing their own archives and for anyone caring for a private or family collection of photographs.

Duration: 2 hours

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Series of events accompanying Warsaw Gallery Weekend MEETINGS, co-financed by the City of Warsaw and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage with the support of the Society for the Encouragement of Fine Arts.