Maria Valeria Bridge spans the Danube River, connecting Hungary and Slovakia. This piece investigates historic events in context to the bridge and juxtaposes them to the present-day situation.

Over a period of 4 months I observed pedestrian traffic on the bridge in 2005, only 4 years after the bridge was restored in its original design. First built in 1895, it had been destroyed in WW II and was left in ruins for more than 50 years, after the Danube became the new borderline between the 2 countries. Their political relationship did not favor communication between their citizens, thus separating the 2 twin towns of Esztergom (Hungary) and Sturovo (Slovakia); both Hungarian before WW II.

Slide sequences alternate with text sequences, which include local people’s memories of the years of separation, the war years, the time between the wars and before WW I, as well as their reflections on the recent membership of both countries in the European Union.

View video (5 min QT video, 3.3 MB)

View a collaborative installations related to this slideshow

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