APHEUM Press area

APHEUM Frames in the town hall show how municipalities can easily collect, curate and make permanently visible private photographs and personal memories.

How can municipal history not only be preserved, but also told and passed on together with the local people? The municipality of Schwalmtal is testing a new participation format: Five APHEUM frames in the town hall combine historical photographs from the citizens with the personal memories behind the pictures.

Private photographs become a public memory

In June, the exhibition "Do you remember? Schwalmtal in the 60s and 70s" opened in the foyer of the town hall. It is the first project realized together with APHEUM by Newstyle under the guiding principle of “culture of remembrance”. Many historical photographs were submitted by citizens for the launch.

The images document, among other things, former railway connections, schools, churches, local businesses, meeting places and social events. The historical motif is not the only decisive factor. Every recording includes people's memories: Who can be seen? What happened in this place? What significance did a company, a club, a school or a personal meeting place have for life in the community?

The photographs appear regularly changing on the five APHEUM frames. The administration sets the rhythm itself. A QR code on each frame leads to additional information and the stories that citizens have associated with the images. In this way, a single photo becomes an accessible piece of local history.

"It was important to us not only to present the photos, but also to show their context. Only the stories turn a photo into a piece of living local history." – Christopher Colshorn, APHEUM by Newstyle

Identity from the perspective of the local people

Today's Schwalmtal community was created on January 1, 1970 from the previously independent communities of Waldniel and Amern. Your districts and locations have their own experiences, images and stories. The participation project brings these perspectives together without unifying them: the common memory arises from the diversity of individual memories.

Personal photographs, everyday observations and memories from contemporary witnesses complement the official tradition. The exhibition is not designed as a completed retrospective project, but rather as a prelude to further topics. New contributions can be added regularly and existing content can be supplemented.

As printed - without a glowing screen

The APHEUM frames were developed for a quiet viewing of photography. The depiction does not light up and is reminiscent of a classic framed photograph. At the same time, the content can be managed centrally and changed without new deductions.

A simple process for municipalities and administrations

The municipality sets a topic, collects photographs and memories from the population, checks and organizes the contributions and then publishes them on the APHEUM frames. New pictures and stories can be added at any time. The administration retains editorial control.

The model can also be used for museums, archives, libraries, educational institutions, associations and social institutions. Possible topics range from local and industrial history to migration, club life and volunteerism to schools, landscapes and influential personalities.

The permanent exhibition in the Schwalmtal town hall is open to the public during regular opening hours.

About APHEUM by Newstyle

APHEUM develops networked E-Paper photo frames and the associated platform for the high-quality presentation of photography. The solution combines the calm effect of a framed print with the ability to manage, plan and change images centrally.

Press contact APHEUM:
Christopher Colshorn
presse@apheum.com
Telephone: 0152 5143 4488