The Impossible Project
It’s been about 15 years since I was in Enschede for the German magazine „art“ to document the first steps of „The Impossible Project,“ a small group of instant photography enthusiasts who fought to keep the medium alive. Today, „The Impossible Project“ no longer exists, and Polaroid has taken over the production of the films again under new management. However, it’s questionable whether this would have happened at all without the efforts of these remarkable individuals. I have very fond memories of the visit to the Polaroid factory in Enschede: the atmosphere, the people, and the sense of curiosity behind the walls of the abandoned factory.
June 14, 2008 is both: an end and a beginning for Florian Kaps and Andre Bosman, the founders of „The Impossible Project“. It is the „closing event“ of Polaroid in Enschede in the Netherlands. A day of farewell, when the production line ceremoniously spits out the last film, but also a day full of euphoria, hope and a vision: the vision of a new era of instant photography.
Nobody here would want to trade the feel and tangibility of an instant photo for a digital touch of nothing. The production hall smells dirty and bitter. It is a smell that lingers in the nose for a long time, and it is inevitable that small particles will settle, stick to it and dull your sense of smell forever. It is the smell of the machines that are being oiled, repaired and brought into shape for the next run.
The huge area near the German border, where work was carried out in six large halls, appears deserted. No cars, no people anywhere – only the wind and the nearby roar of cars on the adjacent road can be heard. A black rim of dirt has settled around the logo, which was removed long ago, and still reveals the lettering of a company whose managing directors have lost faith in their product.
Together with Bosman, Kaps has assembled a team and started looking for investors for his vision. „A quote by Edwin Land inspired us when coming up with the name,“ he explains, „Don’t undertake a project unless it is manifestly important and nearly impossible.“ We want to make the impossible possible and continue bringing instant photos to the market.“
Why should instant photography not die out? „Polaroid is the mother of all snapshots and has given people a new sense of freedom,“ says Kaps. „It was no longer necessary to wait for pictures or share one’s most intimate secrets with the photo lab technician.“
Florian Kaps is in his early forties and from Vienna. He has tied his medium-length, blond hair in a ponytail. He seems satisfied. „Just half a year ago, there was no hope left. But fortunately, I was sitting at the same table as o Andre at the ‚closing event‘.“ Andre Bosman was production manager at Polaroid Enschede and at the same time responsible for destroying the machines. That was supposed to have happened one day after the event…
In all work rooms, neon lights illuminate the white desks, a grey-mottled PVC floor is laid out in the rooms and the ceiling is hung with polystyrene panels. From the corridor you can see into the parcel-like offices. Thin yellowed curtains hang in front them. The offices have not been changed – and in some cases the employees have simply returned to their old places.
