Laura El-Tantawy
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I found this list daunting to formulate. Not because there is a shortage of books, but because of the weight of the responsibility of narrowing down my selection to three. This has been a year where I particularly made an effort to stay away from photobooks — for the sake of preserving the purity of my vision, protecting my sanity and saving my money. At the end, I opted for books that have touched me. These three books are ones I will keep close for years to come.
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This is not because you didn't want to speak with me on your trip
By Adrian Øhrn Johansen. Self-published, 2017.  |
Photographs by Adrian Øhrn Johansen
This is not a book you will find anywhere, not even on the author’s personal website. The title references the last exchange between Johansen and his mother before she was found dead after their last phone conversation. Designed as a softcover wrapped around with pictures of the author’s childhood memories with his mother, the family pictures tenderly fold around as innocent memories protecting a more troubled and tense recent time. Books rarely make me feel this emotional. I found this account honest in every way. Johansen does not intend for the book to be a secret, but it is not one for mass release or sale. He self-published a limited number of copies that he is sharing with family and friends. His main intention is to create a book that honors, celebrates and preserves the memory of his mother. Crafted by Dutch designer SYB, whom I have personally collaborated with on my self-published monographs, this book is my top selection for 2017. It is a treasure and I feel privileged to own a copy.
Purchase Book Here
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This is not because you didn't want to speak with me on your trip By Adrian Øhrn Johansen. Self-published, 2017.
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Photographs by Rafal Milach
A book where past and present politics come face-to-face in a series of architecturally and aesthetically appealing photo collages. It is beautifully designed by the artist duo — Milach and his partner Ania Nałęcka-Milach, punctuated with shades of red symbolically referencing Poland’s history with Communism and creating a sense of depth and tension. A book certain to accrue sentimental, artistic and political value with time.
Selected as a photo-eye Book of the Week
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Witness:
Kashmir 1986-2016 (9 Photographers)
Text by Sanjay Kak
Kashmir 1986-2016 (9 Photographers)
Text by Sanjay Kak
The complicated history of Kashmir unfolds through the experience of nine photographers who grew up influenced by it. This book feels genuine but blunt. An insightful visual narrative thoroughly edited by Kashmiri film-maker Sanjay Kak in a fittingly designed and bound book. I particularly like that everything about this publication is made in India, which rounds the whole book together — metaphorically and symbolically.
Purchase Book Here
Purchase Book Here
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