I went to the Vulcan coal mine for the first time in 2005. I still wonder how I got there, what made me take the train to Valea Jiului?
I never lived in a mining region, my father was not a coal miner, I’ve never seen a coal miner before, when the miners went to Bucharest in 1992, I had no television. Something pushed me to go to Valea Jiului.
I never lived in a mining region, my father was not a coal miner, I’ve never seen a coal miner before, when the miners went to Bucharest in 1992, I had no television. Something pushed me to go to Valea Jiului.
The history of mining in Valea Jiului begins in 1840, experiences a period of glory under Ceausescu and reaches the successive closing of the mines from 1999 to the present. The closing of the coal mines is a very common history in Europe. Coal becomes unprofitable. Unemployment becomes the issue.
Gabriela Lupu goes to the South West of Romania in search of moments of life about to disappear. Coal mining was one of the most valued industries in the communist era and it is hard to imagine that the mines are going to close.
Gabriela Lupu
Dessinateur, Photographe
Gabriela Lupu After studying sociology studied photography at the School of Popular Art in Brasov, Romania. The focus in photo Gabriela Lupu is the human being. She photographs the man through his daily activities in their environment and living space. She tries to catch on film moments of relaxation, when man forgets his mask for a few seconds, and gives his view privacy.
Frédérique Chapuis est journaliste à Télérama, auteur et commissaire d’exposition. Elle a beaucoup écrit sur des artistes africains ou ayant travaillés en Afrique. Il y a quelques années elle a découvert ce photographe Oumar Ly a Podor au Sénégal.
