OLD MACEDONIAN PHOTOGRAPHY

OLD MACEDONIAN PHOTOGRAPHY*

Exhibition

Curators: Robert Jankuloski & Monika Moteska

 

The photography as a new medium was at first adopted and pursued by enthusiasts close to the fine arts. Such is the case with the occurrence of the photography in Macedonia, as well. It took more than a decade for the device that realistically reproduces nature to reach Macedonia. The first written information on the photography in Macedonia are dated from 1855 and refer to the church St. Dimtirija in Veles where the painter Hadzi Koste Krstev signed as a painter and PHOTOGRAPHER. Unfortunately, no photographs made by this photographer were found so far. The year 1855 is taken as the zero year in the history of the Macedonian photography. There were other painters who also pursued photography (Gorgji Zografski), and some used it to help them in the painting practice, most often for painting portraits and figures (Dimitar Andonov Papradiski). At the end of the 19th century almost all of the larger cities in Macedonia had photographers who had left traces in their time. At that time the pursue of photography was not simple at all. It required substantial knowledge in the fields of optics, mechanics, chemical processes and, of course, knowledge of the elements of the fine arts like composition, light etc.

 

This exhibition proceed from the efforts of the Macedonian Center of Photography as part of the project Old Macedonian Photography. Many of the photographs are exhibited for the first time, and most of them are part of the archive of the Macedonian Center of Photography, whose chief objective is the research, preservation and exhibition of photographs and photographic materials by artists who have worked in this region. All of the photographs were made from original negatives.

Since its founding the Macedonian Center of Photography has, for the first time, initiated the systematic research of the photography in Macedonia. Unfortunately, so far no museum or gallery institution has treated the photography in the same way as the other visual arts (fine arts, film) nor do they relate to its preservation. In the past years researches were made in several places in Macedonia and they revealed a real photographic treasure, left to the conscience of the owners, descendants of the old photographers. Thanks to these people who carry the gene for permanent framing of the view, the photographic archive of the Macedonian Center of Photography is growing richer every day, along with the evidence of our past. But, only after many years of work we will be able to say that we have kept from oblivion the photographic cultural heritage. That is why this exhibition must not be taken as a cross section of the old Macedonian photography, but only as a small, modest contribution to the creation of its history. The exhibition is meant to show part of the photographic heritage and to point to the necessity of its protection. The works that were made by means of the light in the past should be displayed in the light of the galleries of today.

 

The exhibition includes the photographs by these founders of the Macedonian photography: Miroslav Beljan (1903 – 1998), Hristo Dimkaroski (1883 – 1920), Evstatie Joleski (1891 – 1938), Janaki Manaki (1878 – 1954), Milton Manaki (1882 – 1964), Pane Napeski (1902 – 1979), Zafir Oshavkov (1905 – 1996), Jonche Pop Stefanija (1915 – 1983), Blagoja Zhezhoski and Milan Zhezhoski.

 

* The photographs are part of the archive of the Macedonian Center for         Photography