This is what the main station of the Antioquia Railway looked like from where the Plaza de las Luces is today. Photo: Oliver Tabares Archive
You may not recognize it by its original name, the El Pedrero sector. You may remember it as the Guayaquil Market. Or, more easily, identify it as Plaza de Cisneros, the name by which it is currently known. Medellín has changed both its infrastructure and the names of its iconic sites.
Oliver Tabares, a professor at the University of Medellín, carried out a work of recovery and rescue of photographs of the El Pedrero sector, with which he brings the city’s past to the present. Thus he created the digital exhibition ‘Goodbye to Medellín’ which can be visited on the educational institution’s website.
There are a total of 50 photos that were found in junkyards and informal sales stalls on the ground floor of the Prado Metro station.
Tabares realized the potential of the city’s informal markets, where historical archives are found that give life to artistic exhibitions like this one. The photographic material, after being rescued, enters a cleaning and recovery process with special techniques to, finally, digitize it.
In these photos you can recognize the Vásquez building, the Carré, and what is known today as the Parque de las Luces, which was a popular market where all types of merchandise were sold.
They rescue memory from the trash
“From the university, what we have in mind is the social appropriation of knowledge, for them we use a strategy called ‘Memories of the garbage’, which is a didactics of education, where we try to rescue elements brought from the garbage that tell us stories of the city,” commented the university professor.
In addition to building historical memory, with the exhibition, the transformations that go beyond the infrastructure are revealed, also the forms of subsistence, economic dynamics and even cultural expressions because, the teacher concludes, the changes in the simplicity of everyday life.
2024-11-15 21:08:00
#images #Medellín #trip #memory #rescued #trash
What inspired Oliver Tabares to curate the ‘Goodbye to Medellín’ exhibition?
**Interview with Oliver Tabares, Professor at the University of Medellín and Curator of ‘Goodbye to Medellín’**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Oliver. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your digital exhibition ‘Goodbye to Medellín’?
**Oliver Tabares:** Thank you for having me! The inspiration came from my desire to recover and showcase the rich history of the El Pedrero sector, now known as Plaza de Cisneros. As I explored the city’s historical changes, I realized there were many forgotten stories encapsulated in old photographs, which led me to initiate this project.
**Editor:** It’s fascinating that many of these photographs were found in informal markets. How did you come across them?
**Oliver Tabares:** Yes, during my visits to junkyards and informal sales stalls, particularly in the Prado Metro station area, I stumbled upon numerous historical photographs. These places hold a treasure trove of forgotten memories that depict Medellín’s evolution. The challenge was to sift through often damaged materials, but I believed they deserved a new life.
**Editor:** What was the process of restoring these photographs like?
**Oliver Tabares:** The process is quite meticulous. After rescuing the photographs, we perform a thorough cleaning using specialized techniques to restore their quality. Once cleaned, the next step is digitization, which allows us to present them in our exhibition online. Each image tells a story of the past, and it’s essential to treat them with care.
**Editor:** With ‘Goodbye to Medellín,’ what message do you hope to convey to the public?
**Oliver Tabares:** I hope to highlight the importance of preserving our history and recognizing the value of our cultural heritage. Medellín has transformed significantly, but the stories and identities shaped by its past are just as vital. I encourage everyone to explore these photographs and reflect on how our city has evolved.
**Editor:** Thank you, Oliver. Lastly, where can our audience view this exhibition?
**Oliver Tabares:** The exhibition can be accessed on the University of Medellín’s website. I invite everyone to visit and discover the rich visual history of our city.
**Editor:** We appreciate your time and insights today. Thank you, Oliver!
