We have engaged citizens of Białystok into efforts aimed at preserving the memory and heritage of the city’s textile industry by organizing exhibits, workshops, and historic walks.
Białystok has been known for its fast-growing textile industry already in the 19th century. After World War II, Białystok built new textile factories, hiring thousands of people. Even though it’s a relatively recent part of the city’s history, there are very few materials documenting that part of history left, and many local citizens are left unaware of that part of the city’s heritage and history.
We wanted to bring that part of history back to life and include it in people’s current perception of the city. We focused on the Fasty Białystok Cotton Industries (Białostocki Zakład Przemysłu Bawełnianego Fasty), the largest of the factories, which has been the third largest textile mill in the Polish People’s Republic. We were particularly interested in the fate of Fast’s workers. We collected their stories and gathered photographs, factory templates for designs and actual items of clothing kept at some of the households. We have digitized some of the items and photographs and used the materials to create an exhibit entitled “Fasty – My Life.”
Six hundred people from Białystok came to see the exhibit, which provided them with a new perspective on their city’s history. Simultaneously, we have exhibited 20 large format prints depicting people, machines, products, and trade shows at the shopping mall Alfa in Bialystok. The venue was not chosen randomly, as the mall was built on the lot previously occupied by Becker warehouse, a company known around the world before the World War II for its silk goods. We have also organized historic and research walks, and arts workshops. Former Fast employees were invited on a trip to Łódź, Żyrardów, and Wilanów – cities with a rich textile history. Our partner – Cultural Education Association “Widok” – conducted interviews, digitized materials, created press releases, produced web content, and put together workshops and the exhibit.