"MOMENTOUS” delves into the world of photographic archives to explore how significant moments from the past can resurface amidst image-saturation. The memory work of Byron Co sheds light on the history of an old photography school in Cologne, culminating in a photobook that links past, present, and future.
In visually chaotic spaces, both physical and digital, images overwhelm. Joan Fontcuberta, editor of ‘The Post-Photographic Condition’, coined “post-photography” to describe the phenomenon of overabundance, emphasizing the symbiotic relationship between humans and images. Amongst family albums found at home, Byron Co encountered a forgotten bag filled with old photographs, representing a form of image decay akin to post- photographic pollution. Natural decay shows their physical deterioration, while their absence from memory hints at their virtual non-existence.
From mundane to momentous, the abandoned photographs were taken during the 1950s-1970s across Europe and the Philippines by Annemarie “Annemie” and Nathaniel “Nath” Gutierrez, a German-Filipino photographer couple. Both of whom studied at the
Staatliche Höhere Fachschule für Photografie, which is now part of TH Köln. With the help of the Historical Archive of TH Köln, Byron Co intersected past narratives with current information. Through memory work, memories of Annemarie and Nathaniel were digitally archived for generations to come. In addition, Annemarie was reunited with her photography friend and colleague, Sigrid Kröger.
To extend the life of the images, Byron digitally scanned, archived, and transformed them into an artistic photobook. The book was inspired by the family photo album in the photographic collection — green fabric cover, photos scattered through pages, with glassine inserts in between. The process of sequencing helped design the narrative arc, merging both historical information and visual storytelling. Since the photobook journeys through the combined photographic life of Annemarie and Nathaniel, the photobook allows the reader to experience moments with the couple as they have happened in the past.
Acknowledgments:
- Kölner Design Preis ’23 Nominee
- Dummy Awards ’24 Shortlist
- “Kunst an Kölner Litfaßsäule” Winner
