Pál Anna Viktória

Photography MA
supervisor
Fabricius Anna
masterwork opponent
Popovics Viktória
thesis consultant
Antalóczy Tímea
thesis opponent
Kapitány Ágnes
masterwork

Heritage

For years, I have been closely observing the inheritance processes within my immediate and extended family and the resulting evolution of family relationships, as well as the connections between the involved parties at both ends of the inheritance, the testators and the heirs. I believe that being the new owner of movable and immovable property or even just being near or in the grim shadow of these, puts the heir in possession of things that can either enhance or hinder their individual and creative development. In my personally motivated photo series, over the course of more than a decade, I photographed my ancestors: my grandmother, Klári, and her sister Zsuzsanna. They lived together and relied on each other. My grandmother's quest for independence was a defining characteristic of hers, which made it difficult for her to accept the changes resulting from her declining health. As the only grandchild, I saw the process of passing away from close up while living with them and helping them. The time I spent with them transformed my understanding of the multi-faceted nature of inheritance into a personal perspective. Ultimately, in my creative process, I engage with intellectual and material heritage alongside personal relationships, as I explore the nuanced expansion of heritage and reflect on what we hold on to and what we let go of.
thesis

Heritage and photo essay

Problems of old age in contemporary photography

My thesis explores the meaning of the term heritage when seen in the context of the problems of old age, and shows how this is represented in contemporary photography. I seek to answer the questions whose responsibility it is to provide care for the elderly, and what tasks the Hungarian society has in this regard.