The Legacy of Fotokemika Factory as Analog Photographic World Heritage

Abstract

In the transition process from analog to digital photography, a phenomenon that started taking place at the end of the 20th century, most of the analog photo factories shut down. As a result, production of photo equipment is substantially diminishing and centuries old tradition of analog film photography is disappearing into history. This work explores the case study of Fotokemika factory (1947-2012), once a famous and respectable photo factory during Yugoslavia period, later the Republic of Croatia, as an example of the shutdown of an industrial unit that produced equipment for processing film photography. The study examines the history of the factory, the achievements in the fields of advertisement, design and influence on the development of analog film photography in the territory of Croatia. It also aims to valorise analog film photography as a cultural heritage and to contribute to a better understanding of the position of film analog photography processes and techniques in the 21st century.