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A group of students poses inside the building while they explore the space of the factory to decide how to photograph it.
PONTESA
The Project Pontesa comes out from the original idea of A Bao A Qu in collaboration with CGAI in 2012.
coordinates a series of participatory photography workshops in secondary schools in Galicia where a team
of students works together in order to create photography projects to document their surroundings and to
learn how to use photography as a tool for communication. I teach photography from an instructive and
playful perspective where the kids can learn and enjoy using their cameras at the same time. The main
purpose is to encourage their sensitivity for the arts practice and to strengthen their teamwork skills.
Pontesa, lembranzas dunha fábrica is the output of a long process of observation, research, reflection and
edition of contents compiled and shot by the students of CPI Manuel Padín Truiteiro in Arcade (Soutomaior).
Between February and April 2014, I coordinated a group of 17 students who portrayed with photographs
and texts the old and abandoned factory of Pontesa with the help and support of a group of teachers who
guided them along the whole process.
The main idea is not just to recover from oblivion the industrial past of Arcade, but also to enhance the value
of a place loaded with history and with memories that go beyond the old legend of the largest factory in Spain
for the production of ceramics and fine porcelain. Pontesa played a key role in the industrial development of
the country, and a big impact in the area as well as in the residents’ lives, most of them now ex-workers of the
factory, who worked for decades in the factory building up a strong and unique collective memory now to be
recovered by a group of students.
coordinates a series of participatory photography workshops in secondary schools in Galicia where a team
of students works together in order to create photography projects to document their surroundings and to
learn how to use photography as a tool for communication. I teach photography from an instructive and
playful perspective where the kids can learn and enjoy using their cameras at the same time. The main
purpose is to encourage their sensitivity for the arts practice and to strengthen their teamwork skills.
Pontesa, lembranzas dunha fábrica is the output of a long process of observation, research, reflection and
edition of contents compiled and shot by the students of CPI Manuel Padín Truiteiro in Arcade (Soutomaior).
Between February and April 2014, I coordinated a group of 17 students who portrayed with photographs
and texts the old and abandoned factory of Pontesa with the help and support of a group of teachers who
guided them along the whole process.
The main idea is not just to recover from oblivion the industrial past of Arcade, but also to enhance the value
of a place loaded with history and with memories that go beyond the old legend of the largest factory in Spain
for the production of ceramics and fine porcelain. Pontesa played a key role in the industrial development of
the country, and a big impact in the area as well as in the residents’ lives, most of them now ex-workers of the
factory, who worked for decades in the factory building up a strong and unique collective memory now to be
recovered by a group of students.
^
Archive photograph of Pontesa’s building in the 60’s.
Alfares Ponte Sampaio, better known as Pontesa, was built in 1961 in the Vigo Estuary. The factory was
created in an economic context of big reforms and openness to the outside world after a long period of
autarchy during the Franco’s dictatorship.
created in an economic context of big reforms and openness to the outside world after a long period of
autarchy during the Franco’s dictatorship.
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Archive photograph that illustrates the piece of land that was filled by the seaside of the estuary to build the factory. Pontesa was built entirely on landfill just 20
km away from Vigo’s International Port.
km away from Vigo’s International Port.
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Archive photo. A group of labourers works on the construction of the factory in 1960.
^
Archive Photo. A group of labourers works on the construction of the floor of Pontesa.
Pontesa belongs to a large group of industries gathered together in one company with its base in Vigo:
Manuel Álvarez e Hijos S.L. Due to the good relationship of the owner Manuela Álvarez O’Farril with the
dictator Francisco Franco, GEA Ltd. (the big industrial conglomerate that includes Manuel Álvarez e Hijos
S.L.) became a leader company in the sector of ceramics, fine porcelain and glass.
In a historical context of economic openness, GEA started to import European high technology and
industrial machinery to modernise the factories of Arcade, Vigo, Coruxo, Porriño and Santader. In addition
to the factories, GEA Ltd. had over 30 stores operating in Spain. GEA Ltd. became a national and
international reference with more than 5.000 workers in the period of its highest splendour.
Manuel Álvarez e Hijos S.L. Due to the good relationship of the owner Manuela Álvarez O’Farril with the
dictator Francisco Franco, GEA Ltd. (the big industrial conglomerate that includes Manuel Álvarez e Hijos
S.L.) became a leader company in the sector of ceramics, fine porcelain and glass.
In a historical context of economic openness, GEA started to import European high technology and
industrial machinery to modernise the factories of Arcade, Vigo, Coruxo, Porriño and Santader. In addition
to the factories, GEA Ltd. had over 30 stores operating in Spain. GEA Ltd. became a national and
international reference with more than 5.000 workers in the period of its highest splendour.
^
Photo: Iria Garrido, student involved in the photography workshop. The photographer focuses her attention in the curve of the building, quite unusual element in
these kinds of constructions. The curve of the structure describes the personality of Pontesa and stands out from the rest of the factories of GEA Ltd.
these kinds of constructions. The curve of the structure describes the personality of Pontesa and stands out from the rest of the factories of GEA Ltd.
^
Photo: Nicolás Cabaleiro, student involved in the photography workshop. The factory is currently abandoned and just the structure of the building remains as
prove and trace of what it was one of the most important factories in Spain.
prove and trace of what it was one of the most important factories in Spain.
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Archive photo. The main entrance of the factory with a group of workers during Pontesa’s opening day in 1961.
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Archive photo. Christmas decoration of Pontesa in 1961.
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Archive photo. A group of female workers gather at lunchtime during the opening of the factory in 1961.
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Archive photo. A majority of women used to work hand painting the pieces of ceramics and porcelain. Women were very represented in the handicraft departments
of the factory due to the delicate pieces of pottery that were involved in the production. The craftwork coming out after the whole process was very high quality.
of the factory due to the delicate pieces of pottery that were involved in the production. The craftwork coming out after the whole process was very high quality.
^
Photo: Eva Vidal. Eva decided to portray her aunt Elsa Caramés. One of the activities developed during the workshop was portraiture and the students had to
portray ex-workers of the factory, most of them relatives of the students. Elsa worked in Pontesa for 18 years in the assembly line handing thousands of cups.
portray ex-workers of the factory, most of them relatives of the students. Elsa worked in Pontesa for 18 years in the assembly line handing thousands of cups.
^
Elsa Caramés portrayed by her granddaughter Eva Vidal. The experience of portraying her grandmother was very intense and very emotional for both, the
photographer and the subject. The students discovered during the workshop dozens of stories about their relatives and the history of Pontesa they haven’t heard
before. It turned to be a very exciting experience for everyone, as the old workers also remembered many memories of their own personal stories. Most of them
had not visited the factory after it closed in 2002.
photographer and the subject. The students discovered during the workshop dozens of stories about their relatives and the history of Pontesa they haven’t heard
before. It turned to be a very exciting experience for everyone, as the old workers also remembered many memories of their own personal stories. Most of them
had not visited the factory after it closed in 2002.
^
Gonzalo Miñán, ex-worker of Pontesa, portrayed by his granddaughter Clara. Gonzalo used to be a mechanic and for the picture he posed at his old working
space at the factory.
space at the factory.
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Chalo photographed by his granddaughter Clara Miñán.
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Archive Photo. The dictator Francisco Franco visited Pontesa the 14th of September of 1961 leaded by the owner of the factory and other public authorities.
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Archive Photo. Franco’s visit to the factory plant became a historical event in Arcade. The whole village participated in a massive reception organised to
welcome the dictator.
welcome the dictator.
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Archive photo of Manuel Álvarez O’Farril, owner of Pontesa, shows the manufacturing plant of the factory to Franco.
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Newspaper archive. La Voz de Galicia journal archive.
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Newspaper archive. Non-identified journal.
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Archive Photo. Pontesa in 2008.
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Photos by Celia Martínez, Iria Garrido and Miguel Ángel Gómez, students who participated in the photography workshop. Some students decided to
photograph the empty spaces of the factory and tried to capture the atmosphere of the building in the present time.
photograph the empty spaces of the factory and tried to capture the atmosphere of the building in the present time.
^
Photo: Miguel Soto. The abandoned spaces took over the building. Not that long ago, the factory was full of life and full of activity in every corner of the building,
but nowadays is just a ruin what it remains. Pontesa turned from being one of the most productive factories in the country to a huge industrial corpse.
but nowadays is just a ruin what it remains. Pontesa turned from being one of the most productive factories in the country to a huge industrial corpse.
^
Composition made by the group of students who attended the workshop. In addition to the portraits and the empty spaces, the photographers created a series
of small details and remains that were left behind inside the factory to build a big mosaic with all the images.
of small details and remains that were left behind inside the factory to build a big mosaic with all the images.
The participatory photography workshops are programmed with different purposes that, gathered altogether,
generate a powerful space of creativity and a big cohesion within the group. The purposes of the photography
workshop are simple: learning photography while understanding the photographic process and the possibilities
of the camera as a tool to communicate a message, as well as sharing the experience and encouraging the
teamwork while enjoying the whole process of telling a story with images. Besides, it is fundamental to
understand photography as a playful game that you can enjoy while you create images to connect all the
elements of the story. It is easy to engage an audience when you turn the activity into something fun.
This workshop was a great experience for all of us due to the high level of participation and contribution of all
the students and the rest of the teachers from the school. We altogether succeeded in generating an
interesting space for exploration and knowledge shared by everyone. It was a very inspiring activity where the
photographers were able to reinforce their creativity and their visual abilities around a space familiar for
everyone but completely unknown at the same time.
The power of photography to express ideas, explore spaces and tell stories is unlimited and it becomes evident
when you practise this kind of activities. Participatory photography is a new interesting experimental field with
many aspects to explore and a good path for knowledge and consciousness of our environment and ourselves.
A story told by many different perspectives and many different photographers is an enriching process that
transforms the story in a big puzzle where every single piece is essential and neither of them makes sense without
the others.
generate a powerful space of creativity and a big cohesion within the group. The purposes of the photography
workshop are simple: learning photography while understanding the photographic process and the possibilities
of the camera as a tool to communicate a message, as well as sharing the experience and encouraging the
teamwork while enjoying the whole process of telling a story with images. Besides, it is fundamental to
understand photography as a playful game that you can enjoy while you create images to connect all the
elements of the story. It is easy to engage an audience when you turn the activity into something fun.
This workshop was a great experience for all of us due to the high level of participation and contribution of all
the students and the rest of the teachers from the school. We altogether succeeded in generating an
interesting space for exploration and knowledge shared by everyone. It was a very inspiring activity where the
photographers were able to reinforce their creativity and their visual abilities around a space familiar for
everyone but completely unknown at the same time.
The power of photography to express ideas, explore spaces and tell stories is unlimited and it becomes evident
when you practise this kind of activities. Participatory photography is a new interesting experimental field with
many aspects to explore and a good path for knowledge and consciousness of our environment and ourselves.
A story told by many different perspectives and many different photographers is an enriching process that
transforms the story in a big puzzle where every single piece is essential and neither of them makes sense without
the others.
^
Students of CPI Manuel Padín Truiteiro who attended the workshop.
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Archive photo. Workers during a working day. Women used to work long hours in the factory in order to meet the goals of the company.
^
Archive photo. This picture documents the opening of the bridge and the national road that would give direct access to the factory. Already in the 60’s there was
this obsession in Spain where everyone wanted to be in the picture for any opening or any institutional act.
this obsession in Spain where everyone wanted to be in the picture for any opening or any institutional act.
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Archive photo. Working women in the 60’s.
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Archive photo. A group of women celebrates the birthday of one of them at the premises of the factory in the early 80’s.
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Archive photo. Graphic ad of Pontesa featured in an international magazine.
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Christmas card that GEA Ltd. has sent to its employees in 1968.
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Picture included in the Christmas card of the company sent to the employees in 1977.
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Text included in the Christmas card of the company sent to the employees in 1977.
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Archive photo. Workers of Pontesa at the factory in the 60’s.
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Archive photo. This picture was taken at Valle de los Caídos, El Escorial, during a congress of the unions promoted by the secretary of social affairs. We can
see different unions representatives posing at the cross-monument that commemorates Franco’s grave.
see different unions representatives posing at the cross-monument that commemorates Franco’s grave.
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Carlos García portrayed by his granddaughter Aldara. Aldara’s grandfather has worked for 30 years as a mechanic at the factory.
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María Duarte portrayed by her granddaughter Martina at the spot where it was her old workspace for 18 years. The building is been emptied for more than 10
years now so María has to guess the precise spot where she used to chrome-plate and hand paint the ceramic and porcelain pieces.
years now so María has to guess the precise spot where she used to chrome-plate and hand paint the ceramic and porcelain pieces.
^
Eloy Ocampo portrayed by his granddaughter Jessyca. Eloy has worked at the factory for four years hand painting gold lines on the porcelain.
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Photos: Eva Vidal, Miguel Soto and Jessyca Docampo. Series of pictures of the outside of the factory and its surroundings.
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Photo: Marta Moreiras. The participants of the workshop explore the space of the Pontesa during the first visit to the factory.
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Photo: Iria Garrido. The main entrance of the factory. Thousands of workers used to pass through these lines everyday to clock in or out of the factory. The
employees remember workdays of more than 15 hours per day in the 60’s and 70’s.
employees remember workdays of more than 15 hours per day in the 60’s and 70’s.
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Photo: Miguel Soto. The curve of the premises identifies Pontesa and the structure of the building gives a strong personality to the factory even today.
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Poster for the photography exhibition produced after the workshop in the cultural centre of Arcade.
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Editing session with the students around all the photographic material produced Turing our visits to the factory. May 2014.
The workshop celebrated in Pontesa was possible thanks to the support of the public cultural institutions in
Galicia, such as CGAI and Agadic, and the great engagement of the teachers in CPI Manuel Padín Truiteiro,
especially Ana Aguiar Hormías, the teacher who coordinated the whole project of Pontesa.This unique experience
demonstrates a few things that we shouldn’t ignore:
- Photography has a big instructive capacity and it means a great tool for communication, as it is universal and
very effective.
- It is possible to combine learning and enjoying in the same activity to achieve a visual product that is both,
creative and critical, and documents an abandoned space through a combination of images and text.
- The photographic image helps to develop the sight, the perception of our surroundings, the creative ability and
the teamwork.
This project was made with the support of:
Galicia, such as CGAI and Agadic, and the great engagement of the teachers in CPI Manuel Padín Truiteiro,
especially Ana Aguiar Hormías, the teacher who coordinated the whole project of Pontesa.This unique experience
demonstrates a few things that we shouldn’t ignore:
- Photography has a big instructive capacity and it means a great tool for communication, as it is universal and
very effective.
- It is possible to combine learning and enjoying in the same activity to achieve a visual product that is both,
creative and critical, and documents an abandoned space through a combination of images and text.
- The photographic image helps to develop the sight, the perception of our surroundings, the creative ability and
the teamwork.
This project was made with the support of:
