Workshop aftermath: Munich (March, 30 - April, 1)
It’s somewhat unfair that, once finished, the workshop’s amazing process of photobook making where many great book projects are born (and not all happen to reach its audience or to be published at all) falls into oblivion. So, let’s shed some light on the process and its result, dummies. Will that probably help some of the dummies go real? We do hope so.
In late March Calin Kruse (founder of dienacht Publishing) held a photobook workshop in Munich. This time participants’ projects were very much different varying from pure aesthetics of light to extensive documentary research and a portfolio book. Below read the details of each project and see the final dummies.
"Stilles Leben” (Still Life) is a subtle narration from Japan and about Japan. It is as quiet as the country’s atmosphere, as paused, timid and simple as local life. Life seems to stand still as if there are no ripples on the water surface. The highlight is red thread binding. Printed on very light and soft double-wide paper folded individually to ordinary page width, so that the stacked pages are bound by sewing the loose edge opposite the crease together with the thread. This type of paper and binding give the book a very flexible and soft feeling, yet adding considerable weight and significance.
Lux is a contemplation about the pure aesthetics of light within the space of one specific studio. Observing throughout the day time, the photographer captured the changes of light and shades and reflections on the walls, floor, furniture, etc. The cover is another light play: cut out shape of light (from one of the pictures in the dummy) that throws various shades on the next page depending on lightning and day time. Hand stitching with silver wire.
Der Acker ist fruchtbar (The Land is fertile) is a documentary project about the decay of farming in Bavaria. It tells the story of abandoned farms, barns and houses in the the circumstances of the loss of economic need for small private farming. This is not only a big agricultural change for the region at large, but also a poignant disaster for many families whose life and work for generations was closely connected to the soil. Swiss binding, solid linen hard cover with prospeсtive debossing of the title and picture.
Portfolio. The aim was to create a portfolio book featuring different series of the photographer. We came up with a hard cover case for separate folders, each showing a series. The case can hold up to 6 separate folders (stuck in specific pockets) so that the photographer could use it flexibly and interchangeably for different series. All folders/ series share the A4 format and basic clean and simple design approach, yet each folder uses different paper and layout supporting the content.
S’agapo (Ich liebe dich) (S’agapo (Greek: I love you)) is an observation of local lifestyle on the Greek island of Naxos. With a specific focus on sitting places and objects scattered around the local landscape without any system, common sense and purpose. What a lovely decay and charming lifestyle. Landscape format, soft double cover with top image of Naxos (from the mural in one of the pictures) printed on transparent paper. At the back of the book one finds a text from Naxos Travel guide which dates back to 1979 with a set of chair-sofa-bench images found in the same guide. Nothing seems to have changed since then. 1979 part is printed on faded out yellowish soft paper to resemble old paper.
Join us next time for Calin Kruse / dienacht Publishing photobook workshop:
www.dienacht-magazine.com/events/
