TOGETHER. Images of Inaktelke 2000-2002

The temporary photo exhibition Together. Images of Inaktelke 2000-2002, opened on 5 March 2024. It presents the life of a village in Kalotaszeg and the community relations that run the village.

There are many stories that can be told about a village. Erzsébet Winter, a photographer of the Museum of Ethnography, took about a thousand slides in Inaktelke (Inucu, Romania) between 2000 and 2002 for documentation purposes. Selected from these, a curatorial construction has emerged that focuses primarily on everyday life, the relationships that sustain the community, the connections between the individual and the community, and community norms and rules, but does not seek to present the totality of village life. The spaces of community life - the outskirts, the street, the church, the benches outside the gates, and the dwellings - are also the thematic units of the exhibition.

The images shown are digital prints of pieces from the Museum of Ethnography slide collection. Ethnographic field photography aims to record and document objectively, yet the results are subjective and often contingent, despite all scientific efforts. It is a rare and fortunate situation when a photographer can work alongside a researcher who knows the community well and can compose the data, and experiences gathered in the field into images. This is how Erzsébet Winter and Hajnalka Fülöp, one of the curators of the exhibition, worked in Inaktelke at the turn of the millennium. The presence of other ethnographers and photographers is not unknown to the people of Inaktelke: they have long documented the festive village, the ornate Kalotaszeg costumes, furnishings, and spectacular celebrations. The exhibition intends to break with this tradition and presents the lesser known, less impressive, but just as colorful everyday life.

The exhibition aims to draw attention to hidden values and complex meanings of ethnographic field photography and its multiple interpretations, thus elevating images from the illustrative role of documentary field photography. Seemingly simple photographs with barely perceptible small elements reveal a surprising amount about the villagers' way of life and mentality. The repetitive details of many similar images reveal the values and rules of the community.

In 2023, the museum staff returned these photos, taken more than 20 years ago, to Inaktelke and interviewed the families in the photos. The film on show at the exhibition tells the stories and memories associated with the photos.

The symbol of the community is the circle that holds and rules. The dominant visual elements of the exhibition are the circular arches that divide the space, which refer to the community links and represent the physical space of the village. The circles of the exhibition can be crossed indicating that the community it represents is not closed either, that its inhabitants are connected to their immediate and wider environment. Moving from the outside inwards, we move from the outskirts into the villagers' homes, and from the community into personal spaces.

The exhibition is like a family photo album: it is one thing for the villagers, one for those who know the village, and yet another for those who have never been there. If the pictures seem familiar, it may be because they do indeed resemble family photos of any of us, which we will hopefully look at in a slightly different way, more consciously, with more attention to detail and different meanings.

Curators: Danó Orsolya, Fülöp Hajnalka

Project manager: Schleicher Vera

Photo 2000–2002: Winter Erzsébet

Museum education: Koltay Erika

Design: Boros Viktória

Graphic design: Hódi Rezső

Copy editing: Szentirmai Dóra

English text: Rachel Maltese

Films: Csorba Judit Dorottya, Dénes Zoltán, Oláh-Székely Jónás

Photo, digitisation 2023: Sarnyai Krisztina

Team portrait: Garai Edit

Lighting, sound and projection: Lipécz Tamás, Reisz György

Production manager: Nagel Edith

Printing and decoration: Print Pro Group Nyomdaipari Kft.

Construction design: Száva Pál

Construction: ÉPKOMPLEX Építőipari és Szolgáltató Kft.

Contributors to production: Balogh Tünde, Boldogh Balázs, Dvorák Sanyi, Horváth Dóra, Simándi Zoltán, Szabó-Gavallér Áron

Legal expert: dr. Szép Barbara

Financial administration: Miklián Istvánné

Communication: Berényi Marianna, Czeczon Csenge, Incze László, Lónárt Adrienn, Molnár Luca

Sponsor: GMS Solutions

Special thanks to all contributors:

Bakos Erzsike, Bakter Kati, Bokrász Csilla, Balog Erzsi, Balog Évi, id. Balog Feri, Balog Feri, Balog Laci, Balázs Bözsi, id. Balázs Feri, Balázs Feri, Balázs János, Balázs Kati, Balázs Kisó, Balázs Pisti, Balázs Réka, Balázs Szabolcs, Balázs Viola, Bancsi Ernő, Bancsi Feri, Bandi Andris, Bandi Edit, Bandi Évi, Bandi János, Bandi Zita, Bácsó Erzsika, Bácsó Feri, Bácsó Sándor, Beni, Boros Kati, Bótos Évi, Bótos Kati, Butykó Erzsike, Diósi Anna, Diósi Kati, Diósi Marci, Fazakas Emese, Fazakas Ervin, Fazakas Piroska, Fábi Jancsi, Fogadós Évi, Ferika, Fogadós Pisti, Gál B. János, Gál Csaba, Gál Delinke, Gál Erzsi, Gál Etelka, Gál Ilona, Gál István, Gál János Alsó Gáli, Gál János, Gál Kati, Gál Pisti a Szakács, Gál Pisti, Gergely Beáta, id. Gergely Jánoska, Gergely Jánoska, Gergely Norbi, Gornyik Boglárka, Gornyik Kati, Gornyik Pisti, Gornyik Szilárd, Győri, Gyuri Ilona, id. Gyuri János, Gyuri János, Gyuri Kati, Gyuri Pisti a Hídi, Gyurka, Gyurka Ági, Gyurka Náni, Gyurka Pisti, Hegyi Balázs, Huszár Kisó, Jankó Évi, Jankó Csilla, id. Jankó Feri, Jankó Feri, Jankó Ibolya, Jankó István, Jankó János a Bicskos, Jankó Kati, Jankó Piroska, id. Jankó Pista, Jankó Pista, Jáji, Kalló Erzsi, Kalló Ferenc, id. Kalló Feri, Kalló Feri, Kalló Irén, Kalló János, Kalló Kisó, Kalló Noémi, Kalló Pali Kalló Erzsi, Kalló Pali Kalló Közi, Kalló Pali Viola, Katus, Kálmán János, Kálmán Kati, Kálmán Viola, Káplár Gyöngyi, Káplár Pisti, Kis Kisó, Kis Kálmán Kisó, Kisferkő Edit, Kisferkő Hanna, Kisferkő Pista, Kis Erzsi, Kis Kati, Kis Kalló Kati, Kis Pál Ilonka, Kis Pál István, Kis Pál János, Kis Pál Kati, Kis Pál Marci, Kovács Erzsika, Kovács Ferika, Kudor Erzsi, Kudor Erzsi a szabóné, Kudor Kati, Kudor Kisó Hegyi, Kudor Kisó Közi, Kudor Pista, Kulcsár Endre, Kulcsár Erzsi, Kulcsár Kati, id. Kulcsár János, Kulcsár János, Kulcsár Zoli, Lázár Ibolya, Magyar Pisti, Malmi Kati, Marci Kisó, Mihály Ilona, Mihály Gyöngyi, Mihály Ibi, Mihály István, Mihály Mártonka, Mihály Öcsi, Miklós Pisti, Miklósné, Minya Erzsi, Moli, Molnár Ilona, Müstő Gyöngyi, Müstő Ilona, Müstő János, Müstő Kati, Müstő Marci, Nagy Erzsi, Nagy Gyuri Kati, Nagy Jancsi Ilona Ricsa, Nagy Jancsi Kati, Náni, Pali Erzsi, Pali Erzsi Közi, Pali Marci, Pali Pista, Pali Pisti, Palkó Erzsi, Parcé, Parcé János, Parcé Ilona, Parcé Kati, Peti Erzsi, Peti Kati, Pikher, Piher Kisó, id. Rácz Feri, Rácz Feri, Rácz Ilona, Rácz Kati, Rebi Ilona, Rebi János, Rebi Kati, Ricsa Feri, Ricsa Pista, Simon Erzsike, Simon Ilona, Simon Orsolya, Simon Szilárd, Steiner Zoltán, Székely Kati, Szőcs Ibolya. Szőke Anus, Takács Bözsi, Takács Kati, Tárkányi Erzsi, Tárkányi Évi, Tárkányi Gabika, Tárkányi Gyöngyi, Tárkányi Ibolya, Tárkányi Kati, Tárkányi János Zsidó, Tárkányi Laci, Tárkányi Robi, Tárkányi Szendi, Tárkányi Tímea, Tóth Árpád, Tóth Brigitta, Tóth János, Tóth Márton Liba, Török Évi, Török Marci, Tyukodi Kati, Tyukodi Náni, Tyukodi Tata, Úri Viola, Varga Csilla, Varga Irén, id. Varga János, Varga János, Varga Kati, Varga Kisó, Varga Pali Erzsike, Varga Pali Feri, Varga Pali Mónika, Varga Pali János, Varga Pali István, Varga Pál Attila, Varga Pál Edina, Varga Pisti, Vincze Bözsi, Vincze Kati