This is life in Karelia

The book summarizes years of photo tours that focused on the Olonez region in Russian Karelia and particularly bring Karelian timber architecture into prominence. The village of Kinerma and its inhabitants are in the center of this work.

“My first journey to Russian Karelia I made in 1998. With students of the Department of Architecture at University of Oulu, we surveyed, drew, and took photos of the traditionally built Karelian timber village of Kinerma. Throughout the following years, we went on two similar trips to the village. This intense work phase led to my still existing interest in the Karelian culture and people.
During the annual journeys made by Friends of Kinerma to various Karelian areas, I took photos from most different perspectives. After having a few exhibitions, I came to think of the idea of making a book from these pictures.
The content presented in my now completed volume of photographs has been compiled throughout these journeys. The book is not any inventory report, not merely a document – it is far more an individual, photographic journey through time into the Karelian (spiritual) landscape. The perspective is the photographic art of conveying what I have experienced up from the first nighttime views, which makes this book an independent artwork.” — Raimo Ahonen

The book’s competent foreword was written by architect Kari Niskasaari, chairman of registered society Friends of Kinerma. The text is complemented by insightful travel photos of Kinerma village, made by Antti Hanelius. All text is available in Finnish, English, and Russian.

The book’s title is based on a comment made by Karelian Ivan Jershov, which – according to Olga Gokkoeva – well describes the Finnish-Karelian relationship. The sentence is in Finnish language with a Karelian accent!  

The dimensions of the hardcover amount to 12x12". It contains 148 black and white and colour illustrations on 192 pages and has been printed on sturdy 170 g/m² coated matt paper. Originally, all the images are photographed on a film and printed with a stochastic halftone. This “coffee-table” book will be weigh about 1.5 kg. Hopefully, its content also is substantial material! 

The book is published by RAPublishing and printed by Erweko Oy. 

 

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