Abstract of the accomplished photographic work
After the communist takeover in 1949, Hungary adopted a Soviet-style five-year plan, leading to the creation of industrial cities like Dunaújváros, Tiszaújváros, Ajka, Ózd, and Kazincbarcika. Built to support heavy industry, these cities relied on state-controlled production and socialist workers. However, after the fall of the Soviet bloc in 1989, Hungary transitioned to a free-market economy, rendering the socialist model unsustainable. Factory closures, unemployment, and economic instability followed, causing long-term social and infrastructural decline. By the 1990s, industrial production had significantly decreased, and many towns struggled with depopulation and economic hardship. Though some recovery has occurred in the last two decades, these cities remain in a complex state, balancing their socialist past with the challenges of neoliberalism. This project investigates their transformation, examining the historical and contemporary impact of industrial decline in Central Europe.
Description of the project you intend to pursue through the Prize
With the Basilico Prize, I could continue and push further my long-term documentary series, A City Built of Steel. This prize would provide me with the invaluable opportunity to begin a new journey across rural Hungary, where I would map out many descendants of the Soviet past that have been overlooked in the current body of work. The reward would allow me to revisit many of the locations I previously photographed and reshoot them, while reconnecting with both new and familiar protagonists. Moreover, this project would give me the chance to engage with the present narratives and reflect on how the current political climate shapes the identity of these communities. With the achievable fund, I could also plan, finance, and finalize my book project, incorporating never-before-seen photographs and texts from the era of Hungary’s industrialised socialist past. This support would be invaluable in finishing this long-held vision of the photographic work.