History’s Darkroom

Due to rapid developments in imaging technology and digital archives, the way we experience, see, remember, represent, and reflect on war and mass violence is constantly subject to change. The NIOD research program 'ImageLab' analyzes the historical significance and affective power of images that emerged in the 'darkroom of history' and are being adjusted in the digital age. Within the framework of this project, critical research into the images in the 'BeeldbankWO2' (Image Bank WWII) is used to examine how new technology relates to the visual memory of various wars and genocides in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

In this context, a case study is being established focusing on photographs of the 'Jodenster' (Yellow Star)—which was made mandatory for Jews—within the online memory of the Holocaust. By combining the institute's expertise in historical image research and exhibitions with its valuable and extensive collections, ImageLab aims to generate new research and develop innovative approaches for working with image collections.