Central European House of Photography 2005–2025

I can no longer imagine the photographic scene in Slovakia without the Central European House of Photography in Bratislava. Founded two decades ago on the initiative of a handful of enthusiasts around Václav Macek, and never exactly overflowing with funds, the institution can rightly boast of having presented hundreds of excellent exhibitions, including those devoted to many important figures in world photography. It has made a significant contribution to the publication of Imago and Fotonoviny magazines, as well as the extensive History of European Photography and numerous other books and catalogues, while also organising the international Month of Photography Festival. In addition to beautiful exhibition spaces in the centre of Bratislava, the institution encompasses the Museum of Photography, a specialised photography library, a photo studio, and a photography bookshop. It is also a vibrant centre that organises workshops, lectures, and discussions for anyone interested in photography, attracting many young people to explore and engage with the photographic medium. Last but not least, it has played an important role in helping Slovak photography gain greater visibility on the international scene. It is very good that this publication maps the extensive activities of the first two decades of the existence of the Central European House of Photography and the works of some of the artists who exhibited there.   

Vladimír Birgus, photographer, curator, historian of photography, and teacher  Head of the Institute of Creative Photography, Faculty of philosophy and Science, Silesian University in Opava