Birgit’s garden, Birgitin puutarha, Birgits trägård, Havin hjá Birgit
My Wondrous Journeys to the Faroe Islands, Ihmeelliset matkani Färsaarille, Mina märkliga resor till Färöarna, Mínar undursomu ferðir til Føroyar
Birgit’s Garden is an art photography book by Eija Mäkivuoti. Through photographs and short texts, a multifaceted story is told about the Faroe Islands, a hidden place no one happens upon by chance. The Faroese see their islands as one of the last, untouched paradises on Earth. In the midst of the Atlantic Ocean, chiseled by nature’s relentless forces, a people lives, immensely proud of their country and its 1,000-year-old history.
Both photos and stories are the fruit of Eija’s long-term photo documentary work and projects in the Faroe Islands. The book’s photographs were taken between 2008 – 2014. Through these photographs and stories a somewhat different view of the Faroe islands emerges, which digs beneath the surface. It is at the same time both a ballad and a many-voiced travelogue with, and it is also a tale about friendship, magical places, music and a spiritual home. These photos are interlaced with both serious and humorous micro-tales that give a deeper understanding of both the country and its culture.
The stories are written by Eija Mäkivuoti and people featured in the book. Through their own stories, those featured bring their own voice to the photos. The texts are in Finnish, Swedish and Faroese. The book also includes an English translation of the texts.
Graphic design and layout are by the graphic designer Pia Petterson. Urd Johannessen, who is from the Faroes, has written the epilogue. Petri Kuokka, who’s known for working with many award-winning Finnish photo books, has made the photo processing. The book is made and printed in Finland and published by Sprotin, a Faroese publisher. It is printed by Lönnberg, a printer known for their high quality art books. The book will be published in the Faroe Islands in July 2015 and in Finland in October 2015.
Books Details
Tekstit: Eija Mäkivuoti, Urd Johannessen and in the portrayed people
Graphic desing and layout: Pia Pettersson
Photo processing: Petri Kuokka, Aarnipaja
Format: Hardcover, hand bound
Size: 29,7 x 20 cm
Pages: 128 sivua
Photographs 105 colour images
Languages: Finnish, Swedish, Faroese, English
Publishing / release date: In the Faroe Islands in summer 2015 in collaboration with the Faroese publisher Sprotin; in Finland in autumn 2015
Production & copyright: Eija Mäkivuoti
Limited first edition (signed by the author, numbered)
Rewards – Support the publishing of the photo book
Please enjoy the special rewards offered on the right, including signed copies of the book.
Signed book:
No shipping 43 €
Shipping in Finland 51 €
Shipping in Europe 56.50€
The book will be delivered for the supporters in autumn 2015, the designated time and location will be informed later vie e-mail.
Payment
The payment can be executed in three ways:
1. Through credit card (Visa/Mastercard)
2. Through Finnish net bank
3. Asking the artist to write an invoice from the campaign Holvi account.
Funding
I have been actively collecting funding for this photo book but some part of the total funding is still missing. The total budget for this hand bound high quality photographic art book is closer to 20 000 €. The main idea behind this book is the thought of sustainability; quality over quantity – to make a high quality book that resists time and is not a disposable product. This also implies to the choice of materials, like hard cover, thread binding, durable and scratch resistant laminate for the cover etc.
The book is made and printed in Finland, hence also the higher production costs. The production costs include e.g. the content production and the graphic design, the costs for photo processing and CMYK-conversion, the costs for printing and binding, shipping costs, costs for information and marketing, costs for the different launching events in different Nordic countries (fees for performers, travel costs, equipment, service / events at least in FO, DK, FI) as also for distribution and other costs for making the book available in different Nordic countries (book distributors, shipping fees etc.) and other costs.
The goal for the crowd funding for this art book (and the prior mentioned costs) is 7000€. I will fund the remaining portion by grants and with my own money. The book project has received support from various funds and foundations (for part of the production costs and for artistic salary; they do not cover the entire project budget), e.g. from the Nordic Culture Fund, The Swedish Culture Fund in Finland, Eugène, Elisabeth and Birgit Nygrén Foundation, Mentanargrunnur Landsins (Faroe Islands) and the Letterstedt Association. Some of the supporters have promised to support the project by buying a few books, when it is published. Such are e.g. Tjaldur – the Friendship Association Finland-Faroe Islands and Tórshavnar kommuna.
Join me and help making a book that hopefully are still around after 30 years.
PLEASE, SHARE THIS PROJECT TO YOUR FRIENDS
Help me to spread the word about this photo book out there:
mesenaatti.me/birgitin-puutarha/
Thank you for your support!
Kiitos tuesta! (Finnish)
Tack! (Swedish)
Takk fyri! (Faroese)
Eija Mäkivuoti
www.eijamakivuoti.net
Stories from a magical place
Arriving in the Faroe Islands, the stewardess announces over the speaker: Vælkomin heim. Welcome home. The word for the world is heimur and it includes the word heim, home. I am extremely touched by this.
The Faroese ballads and the chain dance (kvæði), and music in all its modern forms are very important to the Faroese people. The Faroese are extremely proud of their thousand-year-old culture and this fascinates me. These sons and daughters of Norwegian Vikings, Irish Celts and countless other migrants are shaped to be simply beautiful people that still strive to live in harmony with the nature surrounding them. It seems to me that all these past centuries are alive and strong in every moment. It is an essential part of the present – you do not remember them, you live them.
The country’s breathtaking scenery and sea views are frequent subjects in my photographs – those grey and blue seas, the horizons. The most common landscape is grey, rainy or misty – sunny days are rare. The most beautiful light occurs in the morning or evening ‒ the blue hour, when everything in the world turns into magic. Then everything is possible.
My view of the Faroe Islands is shaped by my own experiences there and by what my friends have told me about their country and its culture. Faroese metal music took me there first and the music united us. I realize that time has passed and one thing has led to another. There will always be a next time to go there, always another adventure to embark on together; and if not, I just miss being there.
This photo book is a work of art. I have created it with people that are important to me. Through them I have become a little Faroese myself. Without them this book would not exist. These photographs and stories tell the tale of our journey together.
– Eija’s epilogue for the photo book –
Filed under: Eläimet, Arts and Entertainment, Photography by EijaMakivuoti
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