ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the role of photography in mediating social and cultural transformations during the decline of Luxembourg’s industrial south in the 1980s. As the steel industry collapsed, photography emerged as a tool for reflection, dissociation, and identity negotiation within the so-called Minett region. The generational shift in the Fotoclub Diddeleng and the emergence of collectives like Fotokollektiv Schluechthaus illustrate how photography evolved from industry-controlled narratives to a medium of social engagement and activism. Projects such as Action Auto-Portrait ‘81 empowered individuals to reclaim their self-image, while the government-commissioned Liewen am Minett documentary photography project sparked public debate about the visual identity of the region and its people. By providing new perspectives and challenging traditional industrial representations, photography played a critical role in shaping the discourse of deindustrialisation and the reinvention of regional identity. This research highlights photography’s capacity to mediate change, revealing how visual culture contributed to navigating uncertainty and imagining a post-industrial future.
