For the first time, a part of Jovan Ritopečki’s photographic estate has been systematically analyzed in a scientific context as part of the Picturing Migrants’ Lives research project. Supported by the FWF, the project examines how the Yugoslav diaspora in Austria is depicted in Ritopečki‘s photographs, and how these, in turn, reflect contemporary social contexts and patterns of use. Pursuant to this project, Ritopečki‘s negatives have been comprehensively studied, with insights gained into their production and usage histories. A representative sample of his extensive repertoire was selected for digitization, with the selected images thematically indexed and prepared for the digital image collection.

Ritopečki’s photography offers unique insight into the everyday life and social experiences of Yugoslav migrant workers in Austria. It provides new perspectives on this migratory history and also closes significant research gaps in the Austrian context. The visual history of this migration, which has affected Austria since the 1960s, has only been studied in fragments. Until recently, photographic sources on this topic have remained largely unexamined.