TEAM

• Zoltán Balla - cinematographer / creative documentary filmmaker

• Emőke Kerekes – photographer

• Dr. Inez Lőrinci – visual artist, photographer and university lecturer

• Katalin Moldovai – film director, screenwriter, university lecturer

• Márk Erik Torkos – intermedia and new media artist
   

DESCRIPTION

Project Concept and Inspiration

“Bitter Salt Flow” is a participatory art project created in response to the ecological disaster that struck the salt mine in Praid, Transylvania, on May 29, 2025. Once a place of healing and tourism, the mine became the site of crisis when millions of cubic meters of freshwater infiltrated underground chambers. The resulting brine poisoned the Corund Creek and the Târnava Mică River, destroying aquatic life and cutting off drinking water for more than 40,000 people. Salt, once associated with health and culture, turned toxic. This transformation forms the inspiration: to explore the paradox of healing turned harm, and to reflect on its communal impact through art, memory, and collective healing.

Artistic Approach and Methodology

We uses a multidisciplinary approach combining documentary practices with community co-creation. Photography, documentary film, and site-specific installations are central, enriched by workshops rooted in memory, storytelling, and ecological knowledge. Residents are not just subjects but co-authors. Their voices and stories form the artistic foundation. By integrating local perspectives, the project seeks to transform a destructive event into a shared narrative that raises awareness, fosters resilience, and emphasizes environmental responsibility.

Materials, Techniques, and Technologies

A blend of analogue and digital photography and documentary film will be employed to capture both immediacy and depth. Installations use natural, sustainable materials: salt, water, soil, reeds, straw, recycled textiles, and paper. Workshops will experiment with these elements, preparing food from local plants, linking ecology with tradition. Combining craft-based methods with digital platforms ensures sustainability and accessibility, while maintaining broad artistic reach.

Target Audience and Community Impact

The main audience is the local population directly affected by the disaster, including families of miners, farmers, shepherds, youth, and elders. Workshops foster intergenerational dialogue and community resilience. Beyond the region, the project addresses European audiences through traveling exhibitions, online platforms, and festival screenings. Its impact lies in amplifying unheard voices, strengthening communal bonds, and contributing to wider conversations about water, vulnerability, and climate change.

Timeline and Development Process

The process unfolds in three phases. In autumn 2025, the team procures materials, identifies sites, and begins community workshops. Winter 2025–26 focuses on documentation, archival research, and audio-visual workshops. Spring 2026 emphasizes preparation of installations, printing, editing, and community events. By June 2026, the project culminates in a site-specific outdoor exhibition in Fantanele, complemented by screenings and workshops. Later, the exhibition will travel to other locations, extending its audience.

Expected Outcomes and Results

By completion, “Bitter Salt Flow” will deliver a documentary film, a photographic series, and a site-specific installation along the river. Yet its deeper result lies in building resilience, strengthening dialogue, and bringing visibility to neglected local knowledge. The contrast of salt as both healer and toxin becomes a metaphor and catalyst for reflection. Through art, the project aspires to spark ecological awareness, support healing, and inspire shared responsibility. Its legacy extends beyond artistic outputs, offering a platform for memory, renewal, and transnational dialogue on water and environment.

GOALS

The “Bitter Salt Flow” project supports the regeneration of communities affected by environmental and economic disaster. Art and memory emerge as healing tools: storytelling, collaborative workshops, communal cooking, and visual journaling help process trauma while strengthening social bonds. Film and photography both document and reimagine, making local knowledge visible and initiating dialogue. The resulting materials can be used in educational and community programs, fostering youth engagement and enhancing ecological awareness. Through its online presence, the project reaches a broader audience and offers inspiration for other communities facing similar challenges.