The Slow Camera Exchange was established in memory of Hermann Marbe and speaks to his aspiration of making the arts and creativity more accessible. The Camera Exchange supports people from all walks of life to use analogue photography processes to slow down and see the world through a variety of different lenses.

The exhibition included a unique series of mini-exhibitions. The Shared Memories exhibit featured a selection of images created with residents from the Westgate Centre. Led by artists Carmel Creaner and Anne Kiely, participants used a unique 4X5 monorail bellow camera previously used by Hermann. Images from members of the FProject Collective were also included in the exhibition.

The groups used equipment from the collection of over seventy analogue cameras collected and used by artist Hermann Marbe during his lifetime to create the exhibition which also featured a collection of Polaroid images taken Hermann and his family.

Together with the Cork Film Centre, Cork City Library Service and with funding support from the Creativity in Older Age initiative from the Creative Ireland Programme, the project has also established a camera loan scheme from Hollyhill Library.

This provides access to a selection of analogue, user-friendly cameras and kits for older people and intergenerational groups. Founder and artistic director of the project, Jessica Carson Marbe explained the goals of the project: “Hermann and I were not only partners in life but creative collaborators. We were fascinated by creative expression that usually goes unseen and stories that are often unheard and we loved to work in spaces where participation in the arts is broad and accessible. We viewed that creative expression as a right. It seems fitting for his cameras to be made available for use and to celebrate that creativity that will emerge”