The initiative, named Project RE, invites residents of various generations to capture current images from the same points where old photographs were taken. This technique allows for visualizing changes in urban spaces and former businesses, which were once key meeting and socialization points.
Last Sunday, May 10, a group of women from Alcover toured the historic center with cameras, seeking the exact framing of black and white photographs to superimpose them onto the current reality. This action is part of a broader phase that includes interviews with former shopkeepers and the collection of testimonies to generate a debate about the town's commercial identity.
The project will culminate in an exhibition that will not only showcase the past and present of commerce but also highlight the role of women in these spaces and raise questions about the future of small businesses. This exhibition will gather the entire participatory and co-creation process with the intergenerational group.
“"I thought that the social life of a town was what it is now. And no, now I see that a town has more social life than this."
Working sessions with archival material and oral history are helping participants delve into the municipality's identity. A 21-year-old, for example, has admitted that she was unaware of Alcover's rich commercial past, which has led her to rethink her consumption habits and her vision of her town. For older participants, the project is an opportunity to share the history of an Alcover with thirty shops on the main street, contrasting with the few that remain today.
Rephotography is presented as a powerful tool to connect different temporalities, using the past and present to visualize changes and imagine the future of Alcover.
