As we all know, Bologna’s Cinematheque loves to honor memory and memories, and as you all know I love La Cineteca di Bologna. So when I got invited to the presentation of Bologna Fotografata, a brand new digital archive of very bolognese photos signed by Cineteca I run to it. Once again, it was a labour of love: thousands of photos of Bologna, partly coming from Cineteca’s personal collections, that have been carefully digitalized and catalogued compose a spontaneous symphony of what was life in Bologna along the different decades of the latest Century.
Making cigarettes atManifattura Tabacchi. Photo from Bolognafotografata.com
Navigating through the website is really simple. You can search images through a “Photographic alphabet” divided into categories (Kids, Arts, Education, Fashion, Cinema, Sport and so on) or follow the more elusive “Sentimental alphabet” and see where it takes you.
Just a stroll. Photo from Bolognafotografata.com
The archive is a miscellanea of institutional shots, professional photos and amateur’s pics, and they reflect both the day nu day routine on once upon a time in Bologna and historical events such as bombings, marches and liberation day.
The allies on Piazza Maggiore, photo from Bolognafotografata.com
It is difficult to stop browsing once you started, at least if you’re a curious nostalgic like me.
PWB shop on Via Indipendenza, photo from Bolognafotografata.com
In addition to the archive, the Bologna Fotografata project also entails a small exhibition on Sala Borsa, where a small selection of the online collection is already on display alongside some enlarged passport photos made at the end of the Nineteenth century by Studio Camera, Bologna’s first professional studio where locals could have their portrait taken at an accessible rate. It is open until November 29th.
Flaneur in Bologna 