Join us on May 30, 2024, in Amsterdam for a special event hosted at the Futures Hub. With the collaboration of FUTURES member FOTODOK, the event will give you an insider's view into the photobook-making process with artist-in-residence Yana Kononova and book designer João Linneu. Over an intensive period of collaboration and creative exchange – beginning on May 20th – Linneu, Kononova, and FOTODOK’s curator Daria Tuminas will work together on editing and designing Kononova’s first photobook, to be co-published by FOTODOK and XYZ Books.
The publication aims to bring together works from Kononova’s ongoing "Radiations of War" project, which delves into the profound repercussions of warfare in the context of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Plus, enjoy homemade Ukrainian snacks by Amsterdam-based artist Alex Blanco, who will serve a selection of homemade Ukrainian snacks, drawing on her recent photobook "Meat, Fish & Aubergine Caviar." The project, which Blanco will introduce, is an intimate story reflecting on both Ukrainian and Odesan culture through the prism of food and family.
Finally, visitors are invited to discover a selection of photobooks by Ukrainian makers, first brought together for FOTODOK’S "Whispers and Shouts: Voices of Ukrainian Women Photographers" exhibition in 2023.
Book-in-residency
Address: Futures Hub, Isaac Titsinghkade 6, Amsterdam
Timeline:
18:30 - 19:00: Walk-in and welcome
19:00 - 19:45: Alex Blanco book presentation and related snacks
19:45 - 21:00: Conversation between Yana Kononova and João Linneu
This artist residency and event form part of the European programme, Intergalactica: Books for the Culture Without Borders. The programme connects institutions and artists across Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands and Italy to create innovative photobooks with a focus on common issues across the European Union.
About the Participants:
Alex Blanco, born in Ukraine currently lives in the Netherlands. She holds a Master’s degree in Film & Photographic Studies from Leiden University and completed a photography semester at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. Blanco’s passion lies in creating emotionally charged, cinematic images that resonate with her personal memories. Her Meat, Fish & Aubergine Caviar project was awarded the 2023 Nobuyoshi Araki MA-g Awards for Photography, in the Original Photography Series category.
João Linneu is a Brazilian-born designer based in Reykjavík, Iceland. With over 20 years experience in communication, Linneu has garnered international acclaim for his innovative approach to design. He has held roles of Art Director, Head of Art and Creative Director in São Paulo and London, whilst his work has been honoured by prestigious design awards including D&AD,Cannes Lions, One Show and Clio. A co-founder of Void, an Athens-based independent publishing house focused on photography, Linneu’s portfolio includes over 200 publications. Today, Linneu designs books for publishing houses worldwide through his award-winning studio Kakkalakki, co-founded with his wife Fernanda Fajardo.
Yana Kononova was born on Pirallahi island in the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan. During the First Nagorno-Karabakh War, her family moved to Ukraine, where she first immersed herself in photography. Graduating from the Photoschool of Viktor Marushchenko, she further honed her skills through a photography course organised by the Image Threads Collective (USA). With a background in social science, Kononova holds a PhD in Sociology. Her artistic talent has been recognised by awards such as the 2019 Bird in Flight Prize in Emerging Photography and the 2022 Hariban Award, whilst her works have featured in both exhibitions in Ukraine and abroad. She was included in FOTODOK’s 2023 exhibition Whispers and Shouts: Voices of Ukrainian Women Photographers, where her work contributed to a collective narrative on the effects of war and displacement.
