Art and Photography Books

The book begins: “Oxygen-producing vegetation becomes corporeal, and the corporeal becomes something ghostly.” There is something magically compelling in the perfection of this paperback art book. Lifting the cover sends a shiver down the spine: the shimmer of silver foil against the rich green cardboard reveals mesmerising, fairy-tale- like illustrations. Philosophical expression, Mäkelä’s work, and photographs from her exhibition together create a world one is reluctant to leave behind.

The cover presents a thrilling optical illusion. Light paper and an airy layout guide the reader into an enigmatic story, where collected objects and fragments of text construct a poetics of the everyday. Texts and images, scattered sparsely on the pages, challenge the direction of reading — the reader moves forwards at times, then back again. In line with the idea of a degrowth economy, this work, which criticises capitalist society, cannot be purchased; it is available only through libraries.

Refined images. Elegant, thoughtfully restrained typography and layout. A successful choice of paper. Together, these elements form a masterfully crafted book object. The cover holds the promise of a world that unfolds before the viewer — mysterious and beautiful. Swiss binding supports the theme, offering an uninterrupted view into the underwater world.