From October 8 to November 2, 2025 at the Sala Contrafuertes of the Centre del Carme.
Opening: October 8, 2025 at 7 p.m.
Project selected in the call PC_ACTS 2025
The exhibition SALVEM LES FOTOS UPV / RECUPERAR LAS MEMORIAS proposes a detailed tour through the process of conservation, cleaning and restitution of family photographs affected by the DANA of October 29, 2024, within the framework of the project Salvem les Fotos UPV / Recuperar las memorias promoted by the Universitat Politècnica de València. Far from focusing on the aesthetic or symbolic value of the images, this exhibition focuses on the technical, scientific and meticulous work that has made possible the recovery of thousands of photographs damaged by water, mud and time.
The exhibition allows visitors to understand each stage of the process: from the arrival of the materials at the UPV facilities, through identification, cleaning, drying and separation of layers, to digitization, partial reconstruction using AI-assisted techniques and, finally, the physical and symbolic return of the restored images to their families.
Through photographs, texts, videos, tools used, examples of photographs in different states of preservation and technical documentation, the exhibition shows the process as a collective act of care and memory. This technical tour shows that saving an image is not only a matter of archiving, but also of social and emotional bonding. SALVEM LES FOTOS UPV / RECUPERAR LAS MEMORIAS is, in short, a reflection on the value of images as an embodied memory and on the importance of the gestures that preserve them. This exhibition is also a tribute to all the families who entrusted us with their memories and allowed us to take care of them so that they continue to beat in the hands of future generations.
The exhibition allows the visitor to understand each stage of the process: from the arrival of the materials at the UPV facilities, through the identification, cleaning, drying and separation of layers, to the digitization, partial reconstruction using AI-assisted techniques and, finally, the physical and symbolic return of the restored images to their families.
Through photographs, texts, videos, tools used, examples of photographs in different states of conservation and technical documentation, the exhibition shows the process as a collective act of care and memory. This technical tour shows that saving an image is not only a question of archive, but also of social and emotional bond. SALVEM LES FOTOS UPV / RECUPERAR LES MEMÒRIES is, in short, a reflection on the value of images as an embodied memory and on the importance of the gestures that preserve them. This exhibition is also a tribute to all the families who have entrusted us with their records and allowed us to take care of them so that they continue to be in the hands of future generations.
Curated by: Esther Nebot Díaz, Pilar Soriano Sancho, Pedro Vicente-Mullor
Produced by: Universitat Politècnica de València, CaixaBank and Fundación CV Silvestre i Consuelo Julián
In collaboration with: Faculty of Fine Arts, University Institute of Heritage Restoration, Department of Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage, Department of Drawing, School of Computer Engineering, Valencian University Institute for Research in Artificial Intelligence, Chair of Artificial Intelligence, Department of Computer Systems and Computing, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural , Cátedra UNESCO Forum Universidad y Patrimonio Cultural, Vicerrectorado de Arte, Ciencia, Tecnología y Sociedad, Vicerrectorado de Estudiantes y Emprendimiento, Aula Empresa Torrecid UPV, Fujifilm, Samsung Banco Santander, Fundación Eduardo Barreiros, Fundación La Caixa, Fundación Longer Tables, World Central Kitchen, Arte & Memoria, S.L., CTS España, S.L., Grupo Español del International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (GEIIC), Garcimar Food Service, NOVELEC TURIA, S.L., Fila Iberia S.L., Grafbordat distribució S.L., Sofía Moro S.L., Sorbonne Université, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Gobelins, Universität Hildesheim