Gear

Once upon a time, there was a factory

photo

Wednesday, 19 February 2020, 18.00

Photo exhibition by József Agócs

introductory remarks: Szamódy Zsolt Olaf photographer

opened by: dr. Csongrády journalist

music: Sándor Balázs klarinétművész ∙ clarinet

open until: 2020 03 09

After changing owners several times, the Salgótarján Container Glass Factory was briefly owned by the Slovakian R-Glass S.R.O., and finally closed down overnight in 2009. In 2013, the new owner demolished most of the buildings.

With the liquidator’s permission, I took hundreds of photos of the disused factory in October-November of 2011, before the demolition began. I went through all the former factory units, capturing the workers’ forgotten personal belongings, glass blowing, molding and grinding tools, the coffee cups that had been prepared for morning coffee, the open wardrobes filled with work clothes… I had the opportunity also to see the showroom and the warehouse. The 120-year-old factory, employing 2,300 to 2,500 people in its heyday, was in a shocking state. With my photos, I want to commemorate the factory’s long history. /József Agócs/