Martin Wágner (* 1980 in Prague) is a Czech documentary photographer, collector of historical images and co-founder of the 400 ASA association, focused on documentary photography. His work focuses on capturing life in Eastern Europe, especially in the former Soviet Union, where he has documented everyday life and forgotten corners such as former gulags, volcanologists on the Kuril Islands, and Siberian reindeer herders. The result of his travels are the books Siberia (2019) and Lost Europe (2020), created in collaboration with colleagues Jan Dobrovský and Karel Cudlin
In addition to his photography, Wágner is passionate about collecting old negatives, which he discovers at flea markets and antique shops, or obtains from donors. This hobby began during his studies, when he bought his first set of negatives from a Prague official. Since then, he has amassed over a million negatives, many of which he has digitized and published as part of his project “Negatives from the Trash Can.” His collection offers a valuable insight into the history of Central Europe through forgotten images of ordinary people.
In his professional life, he runs a graphic design studio specializing in scanning, editing and printing photographs. Together with engineer Tomáš Mandys, he is working on developing a device for rapid digitization of negatives. In 2024, he and his wife Svetlana are preparing a book based on a selection of negatives from their extensive collection, dating from 1900–1945. They are collaborating on the book with photography theorist Josef Moucha, who is preparing the text part.
Facebook group - Negativy z popelnice
From the original idea of sharing interesting photographic images on social media and finding other enthusiasts for discovering forgotten negatives, a community of more than 18 thousand members has developed over the past five years, mostly on Facebook. These followers often contribute important information, such as the places or times when the images were taken, helping to capture details of history that would otherwise remain forgotten. The group is also open to other interested parties who can share their found negatives or slides. This project, focused on discovering and preserving valuable photographs, reflects the effort to capture moments of everyday life and history that have often been lost or overlooked, whether in attics, flea markets or near garbage cans.
The book:
“Negatives from the Trash Can 1900–1945” is a photographic retrospective compiled by Martin Wágner from anonymous photographs acquired over three decades not only at flea markets, antique shops and auctions, but also from donors. This publication contains 202 photographs, taken mainly in Czechoslovakia, and depicts the changes in life in the first half of the twentieth century. The photographs come from 53 mostly unknown authors. The book thus offers testimony to the fates of the people of Central Europe, revives forgotten moments with the help of modern technology and leaves readers room for their own interpretation of historical contexts.
Exhibitions and lectures:
The book's release will be accompanied by a series of exhibitions and lectures that will be thematically connected and will offer a broader insight into the archive of unknown authors. As part of the accompanying program, it will be possible to get acquainted with the digitization process.
Contacts: