Taking the Archive Out to Party

There was a time when not everyone took photographs, when photography was one hobby among many, an activity that only some people pursued. Since the beginning of the democratisation of photography, the vast majority of images made around the world have not been created with artistic intent. Artistic intention does not necessarily guarantee a beautiful result. And at the same time, we now find many images made without such an intention as beautiful and compelling for a wide variety of reasons.

Granollers has a long photographic tradition, with groups of people who come together to take photographs, share them and discuss them. Many of these images, taken by both amateur and professional photographers, have become part of the Arxiu Municipal de Granollers thanks to the generosity of their creators.

Panoràmic is launching a series of exhibitions in public spaces based on material from these collections, with the aim of reactivating the archive’s memory by bringing the images back to their protagonists, the city’s residents and visitors. This year marks our tenth anniversary, and we’re celebrating! This edition focuses on Granollers’ festivities and Carnivals: scenes of collective celebration that tell us about the ways we relate to one another and share public space, while allowing us to recognise people, places and moments that form part of the city’s history.

Curated by Anna Surroca and Fèlix Pérez-Hita