We all have stories in Us

It all started with a house full of cameras. Drawers were packed to the brim with every kind of photographic apparatus imaginable; from classic collectables to obsolete old-timers and dollar-store disposables. Opening any cupboard revealed new surprises: strange-looking equipment so bulky and heavy it’s a wonder the floors bore its weight; discontinued photo paper; film and negatives; developing chemicals and boxes upon boxes of photographs. These were the treasures of Hermann Marbe’s world of photography.

When Hermann sadly died in 2018, he left behind a rare legacy - a collection of cameras and photographs of immense creative value. His wife, Jess Marbe, had a vision for these cameras; to make analogue photography accessible and for Hermann’s passion to continue through a camera-borrowing library and community arts initiative. Partnership with Cork Film Centre and Cork City Libraries is supporting this vision to come to life. With help from Cork City Arts Office and funds from Creative Ireland’s ‘Creativity in Older

Age’ fund, we have had the opportunity to offer over 55’s around Cork City the chance to take pictures, make memories, develop new relationships and connect their stories to the bigger story of The Slow Camera Exchange.

So far, its facilitators and photographers have explored the captivating confines of Hollyhill Library, making art through its windows on rainy days and, on drier ones, venturing beyond its walls to the world outside, capturing life in its many fascinating forms. They photographed over 200 people during Culture Night and across two unique Valentine’s events in Cork City. They have worked to bring the story of Hermann Marbe to life and to carry on his belief that photography is a medium that absolutely anyone can pick up and fall in love with.

This publication aims to tell the story of the first six months of The Slow Camera Exchange and particularly its engagement with over 55’s, through Creative Ireland’s ‘Creativity in Older Age’ Fund.

We are excited to continue this journey into the future with new images, new projects, new stories and new partnerships.

Hermann’s Passion for Analogue Photography

Hermann Marbe was a photographer with passion and a tireless fascination with all things photography. He was a collector of cameras, lenses and many different optical items and worked within a wide variety of photographic formats. He loved to explore the potential of all types of lenses; from high-end Zeiss lenses, to ones used for print reproduction or helicopter surveillance, intrigued even by the chance of achieving spectacular images from cheap plastic lenses. He could often be found building, repairing and adapting equipment to help reach his artistic visions. For Hermann, the darkroom was a space of quiet exploration and discovery as images revealed themselves. He worked with standard and experimental film darkroom processes; working with infrared, wet plate, albumen, bromoils, cyanotype, lith prints and emulsions on all sorts of surfaces, from wood to marble. His collection is amassed from trips around the world, to South America, USA, Japan and Europe, where he visitedaphic fairs, flea markets and photography shops - some large dealers, others, small businesses with very rare and unusual finds.

Hermann’s life was immersed in creative explorations. He collaborated creatively with his partner, Jess Marbe, and worked as a supporting artist and collaborator with GASP artists of Cope Foundation. The creative journey with these artists was deeply entwined with Hermann’s life and passion and photography and filmbased work were also integral to this work. He saw no limits to what could be achieved and was ambitious, quirky and innovative in the projects and initiatives he embarked on.

The Slow Camera Exchange, in collaboration with the Department of Marketing & Brand Impact in University College Cork came together to hear the stories of students, alumni, and anyone with a special connection to the UCC campus ahead of Valentine’s Day, 2023.

EIMEAR & DAVID

“I had a free ticket, and he said yes”

It’s little wonder that the tickets for our college balls are always in such high demand – those fancy function rooms have been the site of many a UCC love story!

Indeed, it was at the Psychology Ball of 1993 where love first blossomed for Eimear and David, who were studying Psychology and History & Sociology respectively (both 1994) at UCC.

As the treasurer of the Psychology Society, Eimear had a spare ticket going for the ball and, with the help of mutual friend and society auditor Vincent, who went to secondary school in Charleville with David, an introduction was made. David of course said “yes”, sparks flew, and the rest, as they say, is history!

The search garnered an overwhelming response from couples across the country who wanted to reminisce on their special moments together, and with the help of awardwinning photographer, Artem Trofimenko, and Hermann’s charming Mamiya 330C twin-lens reflex camera, their stories were brought to life.

Thanks to Jane Haynes in the Department of Marketing & Brand Impact in University College Cork and alumni for participating in this project.

While the couple have been together for almost 30 years now, Eimear admits “it feels like we met five minutes ago”. During that time, she and David have enjoyed quite the adventure together, having spent periods living in Dublin, London and Sydney. They eventually settled in Ennis, Co. Clare, going on to tie the knot in September 2004 and welcoming their “fabulous” daughter 10 years later.

While the Psych Ball will always hold magical memories for the couple, they also look back fondly upon their student days spent eating Lennox’s chips and drinking cheap red wine, and meeting up for dates outside the iconic Boole Library, where Eimear worked part-time.

Image by Artem Trofimenko.