Negatives from the Trash: Martin Wágner’s new book brings forgotten images to life
Over the years, Czech photographer Martin Wágner has taken on a fascinating mission: rescuing discarded photographic negatives and giving them a second life. His efforts have drawn thousands of followers to his Facebook page, Negatives from the Trash. A selection of these images has now been published in a book of the same name.
The book, Negatives from the Trash 1900–1945, features over 200 unique photographs from the early 20th century and was released earlier this month. Martin Wágner’s journey, however, began much earlier—when he was a 17-year-old photography student who stumbled across 6,000 large-format negatives in an antique shop.
"I felt a responsibility to preserve someone’s collection and life’s work—it couldn’t just sit in my closet. I was fascinated by the idea that someone had left behind such a unique and lasting trace."
The images, capturing scenes from Europe and North Africa in the 1930s, were taken by a photographer named František Beneš. Unfortunately, the photos Beneš took in Czechoslovakia were most likely acquired by someone else. Wágner thought he could complement them with images from other authors. That’s how his interest in collecting old negatives was born.
"I started frequenting flea markets and antique shops, systematically buying negatives. Friends began bringing me boxes of them too. When the Covid lockdown hit, it gave me the time and space to dive deep into the archive and expand my work."
This was when the idea for Negatives from the Trash as a Facebook group took shape. Originally aimed at photographers, Wágner quickly discovered that the rediscovered images intrigued people from all walks of life. Many social media users have since contributed by helping to identify locations and even specific moments in history captured in the images.
"Some people are drawn to local history, others to fashion, vintage cars, or trains. Everyone finds something that resonates with them. Together with Josef Moucha, I selected images for the book that stood out for their quality and intrigue."
Most of the thousands of negatives are 35mm films from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. For the book, Wágner focused on earlier photographs, which are far less common and often come on glass plates. These rare images offer a unique glimpse into the country’s history from the first half of the 20th century. But the project doesn’t stop there
“We created a website, negativy.cz that complements the book. Each copy includes a login that lets readers access a web gallery with hundreds of additional photographs that didn’t make it into the book. It also serves as a resource for researchers, and we’re constantly gathering new information through public contributions.”
In addition to the book, an exhibition called Negatives from the Trash is currently on display at the ASA Gallery in Prague’s Smíchov district, running until the end of January.
