Private Lake Balaton
The project ‘Private Balaton’ explored the past and present of Lake Balaton, making them visible through analogue and digital means, mainly by presenting privately owned material (photos, videos, postcards) at railway stations and ports along the shores of Lake Balaton, as well as on social networking sites and web pages accessible to the broader public.
The programme began in 2022, with a research and collection exercise. We looked for stories and for people who were willing to share with the public the important moments of their lives related to the region, with either photos or personal narratives.
The stories were presented in a thematic format. For example, we recalled the Balaton swimsuit trends, the history of sailing, Lake Balaton in winter, the transformation of the beaches and the (creative) journeys of writers and poets on the shores of the lake.
On the north shore, Balatonalmádi, Balatonfüred, Balatonakali, Révfülöp, Badacsonytördemic-Szigliget, Keszthely and on the south side, Fonyód, Balatonboglár and Siófok hosted the exhibitions and installations portraying our shared and personal memories and experiences in the busy waiting rooms and other public areas of railway stops and stations and ports.
Implemented by: Lipták Gábor City Library, Balatonfüred
Date: July to October 2023
Locations: Balatonalmádi, Balatonfüred, Balatonakali, Révfülöp, Badacsonytördemic-Szigliget, Keszthely, Fonyód, Balatonboglár, Siófok
Partners: National Archives of Hungary, BAHART Zrt., MÁV Zrt., Hungarian Sailing Federation, Fonyód Cultural Centre, Library and Museum Collection
Photo courtesy of: Lipták Gábor City Library, Balatonfüred
