Winner of the 2017 Australian Photobook of the Year Awards announced
Variations for Troubled Hands by Steve Carr and independent publisher Perimeter Editions has been announced as the winner of the Australian Photobook of the Year Awards for 2017.
The book is the result of a collaboration between Auckland photographer Steve Carr and Melbourne-based independent publisher Perimeter Editions, which have been publishing limited run books featuring photographers and artists from Australia and abroad since 2012.
Both Carr and Perimiter Editions win $1,000 cash and $4,000 in Momento Pro printing credit, with all ten finalist books set to travel in an exhibition throughout Australia, New Zealand and internationally.
According to Judging Chair, Heidi Romano, “Variations for Troubled Hands presented an original concept that combined performance, dance, photography and film into a beautifully executed book. It is a meditative object that draws you in as a participant rather than just an observer.”
The three commended finalists included: Tokyo is Yours, a self published title by Meg Hewitt launched at the Rencontres d'Arles in 2017; The Pines by James Bugg, a student of Photography Studies College, Melbourne; and AREOGLYPHIC – Volume 1 by Chloe Ferres, a project that reflects her passion for experimenting with book making. Each receives $500 printing credit.
The remaining six finalists were:
+ Desperado self published by Hannah Nikkelson
+ Family Photos by Eliza Hutchison, published by Perimeter Editions
+ Form Supplement by Traianos Pakioufakis, published by Éditions
+ Fucked Up Fotos self published by Stephen Dupont / A Bordertown Book
+ On the Sea Stands a Rock self published by Sam Forsyth-Gray
+ Pabva Zizi Pagara Gondo - Where the Owl Left the Eagle Comes to Sit self published by Cameron James Cope
The awards attracted more entries than past years, and Romano confirmed that, “in order to deal with the diversity across the 71 entries, the judges assessed the suitability of the photography, design and production values for the books’ intended purpose and audience. It was clear to us that all ten finalist books had taken serious time to consider and reflect upon every aspect of the work, so that it worked as a complete package.”
The official judging panel included Anouska Phizacklea of Monash Gallery of Art, Patricia Karallis of Paper Journal, photographer Ingvar Kenne, and Paulina De Laveaux of Thames & Hudson.
A second prize, the People’s Choice Award, is judged by guests to the exhibition who submit a vote for their favourite book. The book with the most votes receives $500 cash and $2,000 printing credit, and the winner will be announced in early September when entries open for the 2018 Award series.
Photobook production company, Momento Pro, established the awards in 2011, to celebrate excellence and innovation in photo book creation, and to showcase the work of Australian photo artists to local and international audiences. Since then they have handed out $60,000 in prizes to photographers including Sam Harris and Stephen Dupont, who both went on to publish subsequent books with renowned international publishers.
The ten finalist books also travel to Photobook NZ to join forces with the New Zealand Photobook of the Year finalists in a combined exhibition that will also travel to Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra.
Awards Coordinator and Momento Pro Marketing Manager, Libby Jeffery, says, “Last year the exhibition travelled to the Vienna Photobook Festival and this year we want to send them to another international event to increase the awareness of antipodean photo books, and extend the audience and market opportunities for the creators.”
“We hope the Photobook of the Year Awards continue to contribute to the growing interest in Australian and New Zealand photo books, for the benefit of the finalists as well as the whole photo book community.”
Full details and links to buy the finalist books are available at photobookoftheyear.com.au.