When does the exhibition Faces of a Time start?

The exhibition begins on October 3, 2026, at 10 AM at the Sorbian Museum Cottbus.

Where does the exhibition take place?

The exhibition takes place at the Sorbian Museum Cottbus, Mühlenstraße 12, 03046 Cottbus.

How much does admission cost?

The regular admission price is 5 euros per person.

What content is shown in the exhibition?

A selection of around 200 glass negatives by Denis Galloway featuring portraits, costumes, fieldwork, market scenes, and recordings of significant life events will be shown.

Is the exhibition displayed indoors?

Yes, the exhibition is held in the indoor spaces of the Sorbian Museum Cottbus.

How long will the exhibition be on display?

According to the available event information, the exhibition will be on display until February 21, 2027.

Faces of a Time: Historical Photographs Open a Window to Lusatian Cultural History

Name: Denis Galloway – Woblica ze zajźonego casa / Faces of a Time
Start: 2026-10-03T10:00:00+02:00
End: 2027-02-21T17:00:00+01:00
Location: Wendisches Museum Cottbus / Serbski muzej

Faces of a Time: Photographic Memories of the Sorbs in Spreewald

The Sorbian Museum Cottbus presents Denis Galloway – Woblica ze zajźonego casa / Faces of a Time for the first time a selection of around 200 glass negatives by the Scottish ethnographer, photographer, and artist Denis Galloway. The exhibition opens a compelling artistic experience between historical photography, Sorbian-Wendish cultural history, and visual memory.

An Archive of Glass and Light

Between 1908 and 1914, Denis Galloway documented life in Lower Lusatia and in Wittichenau. His photographs take us into a world of fieldwork, market trading, and communal rituals. Fine shades of gray, precise contours, and the unique materiality of the glass negatives give the images a quiet intensity.

Faces, Costumes, and Everyday Life

Children's and women's portraits, family events such as weddings, and scenes from working life make the exhibition a personal exploration of the work. The diverse variants of traditional costumes appear particularly impressive, with their fabrics, patterns, and headgear telling stories of regional identity, social belonging, and inherited customs.

Photography Between Ethnography and Art

Galloway's images possess documentary accuracy while also having remarkable aesthetic presence. The photographs depict people not only as historical witnesses but as individuals with attitude, dignity, and their own story. Thus, the exhibition connects art history, photography history, and memory culture into a concentrated aesthetic experience.

Cultural Education at the Sorbian Museum

The Sorbian Museum places the photographs within the broader context of Sorbian-Wendish language, culture, costumes, and living environment. The curation makes visible how photography functions as a visual archive and how regional identity is preserved through images, customs, and communal practices. The museum visit thus becomes a tangible learning space for cultural history and cultural education.

Conclusion: A Journey Through Time in Lusatia

The exhibition welcomes its visitors with historical portraits, rare costume images, and an atmospheric reflection on the works between photographic art and ethnography. Anyone wishing to experience the history of the Sorbs and Wends, the visual culture of Lusatia, and the quiet power of historical photography live should definitely visit this unique artistic experience at the Sorbian Museum Cottbus.