The nominations for the Swedish Photography Book Award 2020 are "in"and now...out. We present the five nominated books and nominated artists below. The later announcement of the final award winner is due during the annual award gala on March 11, at Bio Rio in Stockholm, hosted by arts and culture journalist Ika Johannesson. This year's jury consisted of C-print's editor-in-chief Ashik Zaman, Linda Bergman (visual artist/publisher/curator), Helena Blomqvist (visual artist), Micke Berg (visual artist) and Patric Leo (graphic designer/art director). "We wish more than just five books could have been selected and we're pleased to see how many books made part of the submissions this year, and how many photo books are actually made in Sweden to begin with", says the jury collectively.
Maja Daniels, Elf Dalia
The 2020 Photography Book Award nominees are;
Jesper Waldersten, All Over (Bokförlaget Max Ström). Design: Patric Leo. Maja Daniels, Elf Dalia (Mack Books). Design: Maja Daniels and Leo Favièr. Märta Thisner, Drunk in Love (Journal). Design: Märta Thisner, Gösta Flemming and Johan Lindberg. Stephen Gill, The Pillar (Nobody). Design: Greger Ulf Nilson. Theo Elias, Smoke (La Fabrica). Design: Theo Elias and Heikki Kaski.
Jesper Waldersten
I want to wake the images from within to life. That feeling that someone just passed inside and left this room, turning everything upside down. Rummaging through the underwear, reading through our dark and well-exhausted thoughts, only to rush out with pockets full of whatever could be called future.
Jesper Waldersten, All Over, book cover (Bokförlaget Max Ström). Design: Patric Leo.
(Above) Jesper Waldersten, All Over, book spread , (below) Jesper Waldersten. Photo: Knut Koivisto
Maja Daniels
The work with Elf Dalia has served me greatly on a personal as well as professional level. With this body of work I was able to find myself at "home", in the extended sense of my true origins, having lived and worked overseas for most of my adult life. I see this as the first chapter in a long-term and ongoing creative process, all of which makes it particularly rewarding to be highlighted for this particular book, by way of the nomination, in my native Sweden.
Maja Daniels, Elf Dalia (Mack Books). Design: Maja Daniels and Leo Favièr.
(Above) Maja Daniels, Elf Dalia, book spread, (below) Maja Daniels, photo: Joshua Aylett
Märta Thisner
It's a big deal for me to be nominated since I have been working with these images for so long and often doubted whether they would actually be of interest to anyone other than myself, and as well in light of having produced it entirely on my own without any financial support. It's such a boost now to keep working on my own projects and do more books in the future which has always been a dream to be doing and where to be heading.
Märta Thisner, Drunk in Love (Journal). Design: Märta Thisner, Gösta Flemming and Johan Lindberg.
(Above) Märta Thisner, Drunk In Love, book spread (below), Märta Thisner, photo: Ylva Zacharoff
Theo Elias
To be nominated for the Swedish Photography Book Award is such a great honour. I never thought I would get to this point with this project when I booked myself a flight to Iceland nine years ago. I'm greatful to my friends who participate in the images, without all of them there would be no book. The nomination came as a big surprise. To think of being nominated alongside a few of my favourite photographers! I'm so happy and grateful for this.
Theo Elias, Smoke (La Fabrica). Design: Theo Elias and Heikki Kaski.
(Above) From Theo Elias's Smoke (Below) Self-portrait Theo Elias.
Stephen Gill, The Pillar (Nobody). Design: Greger Ulf Nilson.
(Above) Stephen Gill, from the book The Pillar (Below), Self-portrait Stephen Gill.
The 2020 jury of the Swedish Photography Book Award;
(left to right) Ashik Zaman, Linda Bergman, Patric Leo (left below to right) Micke Berg and Helena Blomqvist
Photo: Jenny Gustafsson
The Swedish Photography Book Award was established in 1996 by Svenska Fotografers Förbund (SFF). The awardee is the receipient of a grant of 60 000 kronors and the remaining nominees 10 000 kronors each.
To learn more about the award: www.sfoto.se/fotoforfattarna/svenska-fotobokspriset