Bálint Szajki, a photojournalist for 24.hu, spent months exploring and photographing the world of Hungarian railways for the forthcoming book *Mozdonyfüst* (Locomotive Smoke), written by József Nagy, a journalist at 24.hu. This unique collection — which will also be published as a photo book — is now being presented in a solo exhibition.
“An exhibition with a unique atmosphere has emerged from this extraordinary encounter, which was at once a journey through time and an exploration of the present. The Hungarian State Railways, the station, the tracks, the train, the workshop, and above all the many people who have kept this transportation universe in motion — they preserve and carry the legacy of the past in every moment. They do not simply coexist with it; they have become one with it. Whether we like it or not.
The dozens of photographs on display capture moments of wonder, shock, resignation, and deep emotion. They also reflect the respect that even 21st-century citizens — held hostage by their virtual existence — feel when they see the working people who keep reality running.
Here, in black and white, is a memento of the Hungarian railroad workers who grapple with the present and the past every day and night.
Klára Szarka