ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

MAST Foundation in Bologna Presents 500 Photographs on Industry and Work

exhibition · 2026-04-27

The MAST Foundation in Bologna is hosting 'The Mast Collection. Visual Alphabet of Industry, Work and Technology,' an exhibition featuring 500 photographs by 200 photographers, including both renowned international names and anonymous amateurs. Curated by Urs Stahel, the show is organized into 53 alphabetical chapters—from 'abandoned' to 'wealth'—that explore themes of industrialization, labor, and technology. Stahel notes that photography is a child of industrialization and serves as its memory and analysis. The collection includes works by Florian Maier-Aichen, Lewis Hine, Madhuban Mitra, Robert Doisneau, Paola Agosti, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Sven Johne, Albert Renger-Patzsch, and W. Eugene Smith. Smith's 1972 image documents a mother bathing her son affected by Minamata disease, caused by mercury contamination in Japan. The exhibition aims to encourage reflection on the evolution of industry and its social impacts.

Key facts

  • The MAST Foundation in Bologna presents 'The Mast Collection. Visual Alphabet of Industry, Work and Technology.'
  • The exhibition includes 500 photographs by 200 photographers, both renowned and anonymous.
  • Curator Urs Stahel organized the show into 53 alphabetical chapters.
  • Chapters range from 'abandoned' to 'wealth,' covering themes like industry, work, and technology.
  • Featured photographers include Florian Maier-Aichen, Lewis Hine, Madhuban Mitra, Robert Doisneau, Paola Agosti, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Sven Johne, Albert Renger-Patzsch, and W. Eugene Smith.
  • W. Eugene Smith's 1972 photograph depicts a mother with her child suffering from Minamata disease.
  • The exhibition includes film, negatives, and albums with 30 to 100 images each.
  • The show is presented in both color and black-and-white, with analog and digital prints.

Entities

Artists

  • Urs Stahel
  • Florian Maier-Aichen
  • Lewis Hine
  • Madhuban Mitra
  • Robert Doisneau
  • Paola Agosti
  • Henri Cartier-Bresson
  • Sven Johne
  • Albert Renger-Patzsch
  • W. Eugene Smith

Institutions

  • MAST Foundation

Locations

  • Bologna
  • Italy
  • Japan

Sources