The project "ŞONA - DIGITAL ARCHIVE. Approach to the use of the rural visual heritage" focuses on facilitating the digital access to an impressive number of recovered vernacular photographs, as well as the education of an audience specialized in the development of intangible heritage archives. The project runs from July to November 2024 and is structured in two components. The first component is dedicated to digitization and knowledge transfer and involves the development of an artistically curated website, with over 3000 photos and documents recovered, analysed and coherently integrated to reproduce the socio-cultural dimension of Șona over the course of a century. The approach is complemented by the development of a kit of good practices for the development of an archive of intangible heritage in the village, which will be available online starting this autumn. The second component aims at the stage in which the archive is in contact with the audience, respectively: running a photography workshop for children from the village with an emphasis on portraiture, creating a collective micro-exhibition with the photos printed and exhibited in the village, as well as organizing the debate People of the Archives 3.0 in Șona, with a directed focus on the development of the guidance kit on the topic of rural archives.
The Artep Gallery Association deepens the research and archiving of the intangible heritage in the town of Șona, Brașov county, an endeavor carried out in partnership with Ștefan Câlția Foundation, "Șona Noastra" Village Association, the Monumentum Association, the Renascendis Association, the Soxen - KraftMade Association and Făgăraș Research Institute and co-financed by the Administration of the National Cultural Fund (the second session/2024, intangible cultural heritage area).
The research component, with an emphasis on the international cultural and sociological dimension , is already underway and involves the recovery, classification and digital archiving of a series of archival photographs. As a result of this approach, based on a recently digitized exhaustive database, the project's artistic curator, Alexandra Mihailciuc, together with the project's technical team, will contribute to the development of a theme based website, which will highlight the intangible heritage elements recovered in time.
Alexandra MIHAILCIUC is an interior architect, writer and federative spirit who combines several subjects of the creative industries in her projects. For 11 years she coordinated the cultural programme "Batem fierul la conac!" (”We strike the iron at the manor!”) initiated by Şerban Sturdza, a laboratory for architecture, design research and crafts, hosted by the noble Carp complex. At the same time, she is the promoter of the project "Triangle. Architecture. Sculpture. Landscape", a set of houses, modular art galleries, conference rooms, workshops and concerts, a concept of cultural and human ecology. She worked at Prodid Architecture Studio for 11 years and is the honorary president of the Designers, Thinkers, Makers Association, where she aims to improve the quality of life using architecture and design as levers. She left her mark on the atmosphere of important houses, such as Casa Mincu (headquarters of the Order of Romanian Architects), Petre P. Carp Mansion Ensemble, Kyralina French Bookstore, Cărtureşti Verona Bookstore. She believes in building, creating through education and transmission, turning her beliefs into workshops of architecture and crafts, cultural projects and teaching. As a result of her interest in rurality, cultural landscape and continuous learning, she curates the Architecture Summer Schools section at the National Architecture Biennale in 2021. She is the author of five architectural education books.
Within the second component of the project, the Archive in contact with the audience, the photography workshop "Portrait - the visual heritage of a generation", coordinated by Laura Căpățână-Juller, will take place between the 15th and the 16th of August, for the children of the village.
Organizer: Artep Gallery Association
With the support of: the Administration of the National Cultural Fund
Partners: Ștefan Câltia Foundation, "Șona Noastra" Village Association, Monumentum Association, Renascendis Association, Soxen - KraftMade Association and Făgăraș Research Institute
The project does not necessarily represent the position of the National Cultural Fund Administration. AFCN is not responsible for the content of the project or how the works may be used. These are entirely the responsibility of the beneficiary of the funding.
