The Vezha Photo Group: Personalities, Approaches, Methods
15.10.2020, 18:30
Center's conference room
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, there was a photo group in Lviv where the members were not willing to join the two big photo clubs available in the city (functioning at the House of Culture of Railway Workers, and at the House of Culture of Construction Industry Workers). The group settled down in the facilities of the Union of Architects — The Gun-Powder Tower at Pidvalna Street. Hence, its name – "Vezha" (Tower).
During the meeting, we shall talk about the creation, activities, methods, and approaches of The Vezha Group with its founder Mykhaylo Frantsuzov and the group member Oleh Verbytskyi.
Mykhaylo Frantsuzov
Founder and member of The Tower Photo Group (“Vezha”), a photographer, an artist, a director of film photography. In 1975, he started his studies at the Lviv Polytechnic Institute. At the same time, he joined the “Semaphore” club at the House of Culture of Railway Workers “Roks.” Their objective was to study photography and promote amateur film-making. Later, along with his peer architects, they founded a group of amateur photographers, The Tower. They organized exhibitions, in many cities of the Soviet Union, and internationally. In the Soviet Union, photography was supposed to be social in nature, in the first place. It had to reflect the anxiety and concerns of compatriots, to take a record of the work and home relations of people, to show a person of the “real socialism” epoch without excessive embellishment. However, the exhibition activities of The Tower went beyond the social realism boundaries. What is more, in 1984, their activities were highly criticized for “formalism” and “apolitical” approach. Frantsuzov was dismissed from the managing position.
Due to quarantine, the number of participants is restricted. To participate in the talk, please register.
If you change your plans and you are not able to make for the meeting, please, notify at the tel: +38 032 275 17 34.
We are going to stream the talk online on the Center's Youtube channel (see the video below).
This meeting is part of the series of talks at the exhibition-as-research for the photoarchive of Vil' Furgalo "processing."
Credits
Cover Image: Members of the Tower Photo Group, author Mykhaylo Frantsuzov
Portraits were given by Mykhaylo Frantsuzov
Gallery: Bohdan Yemets
