“The concept of The Sochi Project is outstanding, and as such distinctive from many other documentaries. The decision only, to start a longterm documentary and collaboration for a five-year period, and tempting
to invoke spin-off, is unusual. From that point on the collaboration was unconditional: no probation. This working attitude generates a high level of energy among all involved.�
No Fixed Format The Sochi Project 2009-2014 Kummer & Herrman
page 2
Give us your money
page 2: Registration card 2009 148 x 210 mm offset, one colour 1.000 copies Flyer for the Sochi Project launch at the Naarden Fotofestival 2009 148 x 210 mm offset, full colour 5.000 copies
Give us your money Crowdfunding is an important part of the project from the start. The first items being produced focus on getting people involved and to persuade them to become bronze, silver or gold donors. Besides we develop a strong typographical identity with the notion that images in the project will always be shown in combination with text to provide context.
page 3-4: Introduction newspaper Contains an introduction to the project and its authors as well as one photographic image which can be seen in total when the newspaper is taken apart and the four sheets are layed out next to each other. 2009 299 x 415 mm 16 pages newsprint, full colour 10.000 copies
page 3
Give us your money
page 4
Give us your money
Collectors box for gold donors Five custom made individual portfolios for each year, perfectly fitting in one matching collectors box. Each portfolio contains one selected C-Print by Rob Hornstra with an accompanying text by Arnold van Bruggen. 2009 419 x 488 mm handmade, cloth covered cardboard, blind embossing, silk screened 20 copies
page 5
Give us your money
Year Publications Along with the bronze, silver and gold donorship, the idea of year publications is developed. Every year one specific story from the Sochi region will be published in print. These publications are send to silver and gold donors as a gift in return for their donation. These publications are publicly available from the Sochi Project webshop too. Income flows back in to the project.
page 6
Sanatorium
page 6-9: Sanatorium (Year Publication #1) 2009 240 x 320 mm 32 pages, offset, full colour 8 pages, offset, one colour 20 colour photographs white folio with double stitched binding, foil print on front cover 350 copies Sanatorium won the New York Photo Book Award 2010
page 7
Sanatorium The coastal strip on the Black Sea around the subtropical resort of Sochi has for decades been famous for its sanatoria. During the Soviet era, millions of workers were sent to one of these sanatoria annually to revive their spirits and strengthen their bodies. Today, the sanatoria are still fully booked year round mostly with elderly or disabled Russians.
Sanatorium
In the run-up to the Olympic Winter Games in 2014, almost all sanatoria will be converted into luxury hotels. There is no place for sentimentality when it comes to the past. ‘Sanatorium’ is an ode to these Soviet strongholds, revealing a deep-seated love for spas that is firmly embedded in the Russian soul.
page 8
Sanatorium
page 9
Sanatorium
page 10-11: Set of 5 posters 2010 700 x 1000 mm offset, full colour 150 copies each Cardboard box 2010 810 x 155 x155 mm silkcreen, one colour
page 10
The Sochi Project in Rome Early 2010 Chiara Chapodici, curator of Italian based organization 3/3 (Treterzi), invites The Sochi Project for a presentation in the Roman exhibition space Mandeep Photography. For this occasion we develop two series of five large format posters. The first series, featuring some of the key quotes of the project, as well as cut outs of Rob’s images, is glued to the walls of Rome prior to the opening.
The Sochi Project in Rome
The second series, featuring the full images and extended captions in Italian, Dutch and English on the back, are shown and for sale during the show in Mandeep. Both individually, and as a set of five in a custom made silk screened box which features all five extended captions. The posters are also shown during the group show ‘Quickscan’ in the Nederlands Fotomuseum Rotterdam.
Caption on back side of each poster in Dutch, English and Italian. Packaged in a custom made silkscreened box. Made in collaboration with 3/3, Mandeep Photography and the Nederlands Fotomuseum. All images were taken during the first year of The Sochi Project (2009).
page 11
The Sochi Project in Rome
page 12-15: On the Other Side of the Mountains 2010 299 x 415 mm 64 pages newsprint, full colour 12.000 copies On the Other Side of the Mountains won the Dutch Canon Prijs for innovative journalism 2010 and received an honorable mention in the Magnum Expression Award 2010
page 12
On the Other Side of the Mountains This publication is especially developed on the occassion of the European Month of Photography, a joint venture between European photography festivals in Rome, Berlin, Vienna, Bratislava and Luxembourg. ‘On the Other Side of the Mountains’ is a 64-page newspaper which – if you combine two of them – can also function as an exhibition measuring 1.20 x 6 metres.
On the Other Side of the Mountains
In this manner we are able to combine a strong and recognizable exhibition concept containing both images and texts, with a high volume, low-cost, take away object. The newspapers are available from all venues for free. ‘On the Other Side of the Mountains’ is a story about Krasny Vostok, a village with one foot in the 19th century, still partially without gas and electricity. Barely 200 kilometres from Sochi, but a world away. There is no reason to portray this village; and that’s why Rob and Arnold did. The Caucasus is more than just conflict and refugees, fundamentalist Islam or billion dollar Games.
page 13
On the Other Side of the Mountains
page 14
On the Other Side of the Mountains
page 16-22: Empty land, Promised land, Forbidden land (Year Publication #2) 2010 194 x 251 mm 272 pages offset, full colour 93 colour photographs hardbound with photoillustrated boards, blind embossing on front cover and spine 900 copies Empty land, Promised land, Forbidden land was nominated for the Kassel International Photobook Award 2011 and listed in the Photo-eye Best Books of 2010
page 16
Empty land, Promised land, Forbidden land With Abkhazia being one of the major stories within The Sochi Project, this second year publicat ion represents a far bigger and more complex story then the first. 272 pages containing over 14 chapters of texts and over 90 photographs. In size, design and typography we aim to serve the books’ double purpose. Text and imagery are both integral and equally part of this hybrid book form providing a good read and nice stroll through the visual part.
Empty land, Promised land, Forbidden land
‘Empty land, Promised land, Forbidden land’ explores the unknown country of Abkhazia on the Black Sea. Abkhazia broke away from Georgia after a short but violent civil war in ’92-’93 and was recognized as independent in 2008 by Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua and the atoll of Nauru. Rob and Arnold spent four years travelling through the country, seeing how it is slowly trying to claw its way out of isolation. They visited the refugees in Georgia and described the attempts made by the Abkhazian government to repopulate the empty, war-ravaged country with new immigrants.
Empty land, Promised land, Forbidden land (2nd revised edition 2013) The first edition of ‘Empty land, Promised land, Forbidden land’ sold out in 2011. The second edition is slightly smaller than the original edition and has been updated with recent photography like for instance the cover shown here.
page 17
Empty land, Promised land, Forbidden land
page 18
Empty land, Promised land, Forbidden land
page 19
Empty land, Promised land, Forbidden land
page 20
Empty land, Promised land, Forbidden land
page 21
Empty land, Promised land, Forbidden land
At 290 pages and about the size of a hefty novel, this book is one you will take on a long train-ride, dog-ear the corners and refreshingly admit that EL,PL, FL is a damn good read! Andrew Phelps (buffet.andrew-phelps.com)
While you could treat Empty Land as a photo book, in reality it’s something different. In a nutshell, it’s a documentary, transformed into book form (...) It does it in a way that, I think, hints at where at least some contemporary photojournalism is moving. (...) A most excellent book, highly recommended. Jörg Colberg, Conscientious (cphmag.com)
page 22
Empty land, Promised land, Forbidden land
page 23: Christmas cards 2010 130 x 178 mm ofset, full colour 6 cards in a concertina booklet, paper wrap with text
page 23
Christmas cards The smallest documentary by The Sochi Project in the form of Christmas cards: ‘...Christmas decorations hang everywhere, sometimes all year round. From the richest to the poorest in impoverished refugee apartments, the festivities are celebrated as exuberantly as possible. Even the Muslims are not immune to the Christmas trees and other outward displays of the holiday season.’
Christmas cards
page 24-28: Sochi Singers (Year Publication #3) 2011 297 x 380 mm 80 pages offset, full colour plus spot colour (gold) cover gloss laminated and silkscreen overprinted in gold 1000 copies Winner World Press Photo - Arts & Entertainment Stories, 2012 Winner Sony World Photography Awards Arts & Culture, 2012 Winner PDN Photo Annual Book Category, 2012
page 24
Sochi Singers Oversized, almost the size of a wall mounted calendar, silk screened in gold over a glossy finish. This publication captures some of the glamour of Sochi’s contemporary nightlife and comes with a bag. Sochi attracts mainly Russian tourists in summer. On the one hand, they come looking for glitter and glamour and are prepared to pay for it, on the other, they attach great importance to Russian culture and traditions. The ultimate example of this can be found in Sochi’s nightlife.
Sochi Singers
Many restaurants try to attract customers with flashing neon signs, semi-luxurious interiors and an abundance of staff. At the same time, every restaurant upholds a well-known Russian tradition of live musicians who belt out Russian chansons from behind an electric piano. The book ‘Sochi Singers’ explores how a deeply rooted Russian tradition goes hand in hand with the city’s new capitalist glamour.
page 26
Sochi Singers
page 27
Sochi Singers
page 28
Sochi Singers
The Sochi Project & its publications Art historian and curator Mirelle Thijssen speaks with Jeroen Kummer about K&H’s pivotal role in The Sochi Project and the latest yearbook ‘The Secret History of Khava Gaisanova and the North Caucasus’.
Mirelle Thijsen: Could you explain to me, by and large, what The Sochi Projects entails? You are collaborating from the very start with documentary photographer Rob Hornstra and historian/writer Arnold van Bruggen on this major documentary research project, this epic story. Jeroen Kummer: What is remarkable about The Sochi Project, and what makes a long-term project like this significant, is its journalistic value. It is both a photo documentary and a journalistic work-in-progress. In the choices we made we took both aspects into account: how to write a narrative history with text and images. The concept of The Sochi Project is outstanding, and as such distinctive from many other documentaries. The decision alone, to start a long-term documentary, and collaboration for a five-year period, and tempting to invoke spinoffs, is unusual. It is remarkable that from the very start Rob and Arnold had the intention to collaborate together with our office, Kummer & Herrman, for five years, the full term. Which has been colouring the effect of partnership quality since. Why did they come to your office? There are undoubtedly several reasons. Before starting The Sochi Project we have custom designed several photo books, in particular the publications made for WassinkLundgren, like Empty Bottles (2007/2008), which is questioning the phenomenon ‘photo book’. The publication is a clear example of this quest. On one hand the purpose of a photo book is serving the narrative. On the other hand, the way this publication is bound is unusual and it serves at the same time as an exhibition. Much like On The Other Side of The Mountains? Yes, that idea is expressed in there, but in quite a different way. These types of straightforward decisions must have ignited the ambition of Rob and Arnold. After a collective meeting, while brainstorming, their decision to work with Kummer & Herrman was made. From that point on the collaboration was unconditional: no probation. This working attitude generates a high energy level among all the participants. Mind you, at the start of the project we were not involved in making publications. We have designed the website and pushed forward the crowd funding system, through web accessibility. In fact, we started out making promotional items. The idea of crowd funding came from Kummer & Herrman or from the authors? The idea to raise project finance through crowd funding came from Arnold and Rob. However, the way to implement that and develop multiple platforms, and not in the way crowd funding systems are available now, has been supervised by Kummer & Herrman. As well as developing the language needed to entice an audience.
page 29
The Sochi Project and its publications
May we look now at the content of The Sochi Project? So far we talked about logistics and collaboration. Would you please elaborate on the content? First of all it is a way to map, in journalistic terms, the area around Sochi. And in such a way that is quite distinct from the approach of the official Olympic channels by the International Olympic Committee. The Sochi Project is an effort to tell stories which are not to be told, nor published, by these channels. Secondly, the aim is to create a new audience for these kind of provocative and sensitive stories. And thirdly, at the beginning the focus was on Sochi and the effects on such a resort city of being awarded the Olympic Games 2014. In the course of years, the focal point has shifted and The Sochi Project involves wider political issues and conflicts prominent in the region. This means, not in the first place, personal stories about people deprived of their property, because the government has confiscated their homes in order to built Olympic stadia, but like in the recent publication on the North-Caucasus, sketching a region of change that for hundreds of years has been a thorn in the side of the Russian regime. Furthermore, what makes The Sochi Project so outstanding is its long-term effort to collect multiple stories, in order to obtain different gradations, attempting to determine lighter and darker tones of a story. And of course, this project is aimed at Sochi, but I can think of the same systematic approach and methodology suitable for a different region, in another country. Finally, could you describe, from your point of view, what the contribution of Arnold and Rob is to The Sochi Project? And to what extent they each have room to manoeuvre in the framework they created for this documentary? They unite in a project, which is unmistakably their collective project, although, each of them, at different times, has a leading role and must carry the load. Rob is more involved in the visual aspects of The Sochi Project, due to his background. For example we have made sub plots like Sochi Singers (2011). This is an explicit visual document, and the contribution by Arnold is limited, but substantial. While The Secret History of Khava Gaisanova and the North Caucasus (2013) is an in-depth story Arnold wanted to tell regarding this region. In this case he is taking the lead. In fact, all books are the final result of their collective endeavour. Let’s now focus on the most recent publication, you just mentioned: The Secret History of Khava Gaisanova and the North Caucasus and the authors position on collaboration with you has resulted in, elaborating on problems, solutions and results. The breeding ground for each new story, for new journalism, is Rob and Arnold travelling together through the region. While travelling, text and images are collected. During this phase,
… from the very start Rob and Arnold had the intention to collaborate together with our office for five years, the full term. Which has been colouring the effect of partnership quality since.
at Kummer & Herrman, we gain insight into a work-in-progress, the nature of text and image production for a book. In this case, the text, the stories, the chapters, are a guiding principle. Looking at The Sochi Project books published thus far, two publications are the most hybrid books, in terms of being both a reading book and a visual narrative: The Secret History of Khava Gaisanova and its pendant, the publication on Abkhazia: Empty Land, Promised Land, Forbidden Land. The latter also predetermined the outline for The Secret History of Khava Gaisanova; achieving a substantial historical component in the book. Along the way, the meeting with Khava has raised the entire scope of the story to another level. So, on one level you have the history of the North-Caucasus and the bilateral relations with Russia, throughout the centuries. Explaining large-scale historical change. But on another level, on a personal level, the cover story of Khava unravels, and that of her family and her husband who disappeared. The tragic life of the protagonist in this story is symbolic for that of many other families in the North-Caucasus. Meanwhile it is a beautiful parable in itself, finding close kinship with the larger history. We, the Kummer & Herrman team, don’t consider it our duty to guide that process, but we do communicate on the story gradually taking shape, the chance in structure, hence Khava becoming part of the narrative. The next step in the decision-making process is text production by Arnold. We don’t interfere in that. With Rob I discuss the photo editing. It was a challenge for him how to document the history of the Caucasus and how to fit that into the larger picture. In addition, a narrative, being it a location-based production, by a documentary photographer is definitely contemporary. The protagonists in the pictures are the people living there right now. So the question is how to weave their stories with the historical chapters? For example, there is a chapter on the Islam. How do you depict a religion, generally equated with violence, in a broader social-historical context? Thus it became imperative, deciding in an early stage, which book technical aspects are suitable for the story to be told. In terms of size, binding, printing, colour, etc. In this case, because it is tagged as a reading-book, there are restrictions regarding the size. It has to be portable and handy; a book you read in the train, one that fits in your pocket. The length of the stories and the amount of photographs determents the size of the book. A particular feature of this book I like to mention is, that it is published in both a Dutch and an English edition simultaneously. Thus far, all publications covering The Sochi Project have been published in English, with an initial print run of a thousand to twelve hundred copies. Regarding The Secret History of Khava Gaisanova, the authors worked for the first time together with a publishing House (Pegasus), exclusively for the Dutch edition. This implies the print run has been doubled. Why?
page 30
The Sochi Project and its publications
One reason is the authors intend to broaden their audience. Secondly, a separate Dutch-language and English-language edition has emerged from a grant offered by the Fonds Bijzondere Journalistieke Projecten (Fund for Exceeding Journalistic Projects). To receive such a grant, is dependent on the condition to produce a Dutch-language publication in cooperation with a publishing house. All these issues are arising, and are influential in shaping a photo book. Everything considered this is the first time we make two editions in two languages. One of the challenges is to find a way to solve the bilingual aspect. Another is to reproduce Rob’s photographs on newsprint. We have had some experience with this printing procedure during The Sochi Project, trying out different possibilities. At the very start we made an introduction pamphlet on newsprint. A first major publication is the multiple use newspaper The Other Side of The Mountains. And last November, at Paris Photo, his photographs were presented at Flatland Gallery on newsprint as well. The technical aspects and aesthetical qualities of Rob Hornstra’s documentary photography are strikingly in contrast to the roughness of newsprint. At the same time you might consider this technology-based solution a vehicle, a means for the pictures to transmit the storyline. And because he formalizes new photographic aesthetics, his pictures stand out. Which is a quality per se, but as soon as they are integrated in a publication, there certainly is a type of friction. Would you please elaborate on the typography in The Secret History? Similar to the one used in On The Other Side of The Mountains. Titles and quotes are in both publications prominent, even monumental I would say. Like the header on the front page of a daily newspaper: bold and penetrating. Newsprint was chosen for many reasons. This way we captured the journalistic gut feeling of the publication. Oral history is of major importance throughout the entire Sochi Project, and very present in the form of quotes in the layout. Yes, and in this case the personal quotes, titles and main text are printed using the serif typeface Times New Roman, a newspaper typeface by excellence. This is the first time we use that typeface for The Sochi Project. And because the text in this recent publication is substantial, we work with a compact framework for column width, and by using the Times it will remain readable. This layout enables the reader to consume the text. It serves its purpose. Still, this book does not have the format for a novel, a non-fiction book. Those are smaller in size. Quotes are printed in bloody red? It makes them look rough, sober, straightforward and nonartificial. You’re not trying to polish the story.
The technical aspects and aesthetical qualities of Rob Hornstra’s documentary photography are strikingly in contrast to the roughness of newsprint. At the same time you might consider this technology-based solution a vehicle, a means for the pictures to transmit the storyline.
Yes, indeed. Like the red cover, showing a portrait of the young and beautiful Khava, but with a haunting look in her eyes. A sign, you could say, indicating the horrifying experiences her family is dealing with. The colour red is representing that life full of misery on the cover and in the quotes. They have the same roughness. This story of Khava Gaisanova is the most terrifying of all the personal histories collected so far in The Sochi Project. People disappeared, others slaughtered. As a graphic designer you’re looking for a framework, a form, justifying these impressive quotes. Like this one on the back cover: “If someone is missing for more then three days, with no sign of life, that sign rarely comes.” P. 36 backside cover The Secret History of Khava Gaisanova and the North Caucasus (2013) These book-technical matters, for example choosing a printing mode, also have to do with financial considerations. Production wise, newsprint suits the nature of the story: it sustains its sobriety. Newsprint in a low-cost, non-archival paper used to print newspapers. And frankly, it makes it possible to print two editions. Now we have two editions for the price of one. Realising a project of this magnitude, you continuously face financial pressure. Just imagine, this book is printed on a huge newspaper press, as big as a gymnasium. A Dutch and English edition, printed side by side, on a gigantic press in the form of a print roll. The illustrations are identical for both editions. And regarding the text, the advantage of newsprint is, the text ink plate, in black, simultaneously substitutes a red ink plate for the quotes. So for many reasons, producing a book this way has been quite appropriate. Who is choosing the quotes? And who edits the image sequences? First of all, both Arnold and Rob choose the quotes. Both authors highlight them. While editing the book, I also make suggestions. And text wise, quotes are collected, selected and written down by Arnold. Meanwhile, you must have a scenario for each calendar year regarding The Sochi Project. Regarding the Sketchbook series, from the start of the project the intention has been to publish one book a year. In The Sochi Project terminology we speak of the ‘year publication’. The Secret History is in fact the one covering 2012. So this year publication has been launched a little later. The intention refers to the offer made to our silver and gold donators that receive each year a free copy by surface mail, as service on return for their financial contribution. On the contrary, the Sketchbooks have been released much later, in 2011. This idea came about during the years of economic crisis, when financing the yearbooks became more problematic, due to dramatic cuts to art budgets. Grants to art publications are no longer issued. Besides, The Sochi Project maintenance depends in part on crowd funding, not entirely. Donators finance the travels and the story collecting. The publications are subsidised
page 31
The Sochi Project and its publications
separately. When Sochi Singers was being produced, mid 2011, we realized we will have difficulty financing the publication. So we had to change course. There are many options. One is recruiting more donators. Finally we decided to launch a new series of booklets, covering smaller topics, intimate stories, which never fitted in the larger context of a yearbook. Initially these were posted on The Sochi Project website, but they deserve to be published. All these booklets of similar size, about A5, are sold for 35.00 EUR each, which is a considerable amount of money. By buying one, you support the project. Up to now we have made three Sketchbooks. The last one is KIEV. They are meant to be lightweight and happen to be very successful. What is planned, regarding the Sketchbook series? Probably one or two more Sketchbooks will be launched. One subject, for this series of booklets, we already have worked out, is a giant hotel in Sochi, with an inexpressible name. In an earlier stage of The Sochi Project, Rob has already made photographs of striptease dancers working in the hotel. It’s a building with nine hundred rooms or more, two nightclubs, three restaurants: a world of its own. Built in the Soviet era. Quit a fascinating complex. So one of the ideas is to make a booklet on this hotel, focussing on the architecture as well, mapping the different floors, in order to capture the megalomaniac scale. In regard to the yearbook, which will be published later this year by Aperture, and we’re honoured because of that…. Isn’t that against your principles? All photo books by Rob have been self-published. This is Rob Hornstra in a nutshell. Yes, a bit of opportunism here! We did have our doubts, eventually, but on the other hand, a final publication certainly needs marking a turning point. It will still be a true The Sochi Project publication, produced by the same team. Meantime it is a retrospective as well, looking back on the past five years and incorporating the integral project. You may find pictures that have been published in The Sochi Project books at an earlier stage. That only counts for a small part. Most of it is new and unpublished material. The aim is to map the area; the title of the final yearbook is An Atlas of War and Tourism. Indeed, this publication is different in nature. Important stories and sub plots from the region will be included. Another intent is to reach a larger audience. Thanks to Aperture a wide distribution and a print run of five thousand copies is possible. With self-publishing I don’t think such high figure print run is feasible. Besides, I think self-publishing is and remains a strong power tool. So Kummer & Herrman carry out the graphic design, am I right? Yes, the same team.
Each publication is an entity, and not only should we tell Rob’s story, but the story of The Sochi Project as a whole. None of The Sochi Project publications are to be considered classical photo books.
Will you have carte blanche? In other words, how does Kummer & Herrman play a major role in the representation of the work by Rob Hornstra? In principle, we are given carte blanche: no restrictions, no preconditions. Although Rob does have a clear image of the way in which his work is to be published. He has a leading role in the process of compiling a book. He pushes the boundaries of his photography, with a view to his work being merged in the integral project, serving the overall story. Publishing his work on newsprint was a logical choice made along the way in order to shape The Sochi Project. Rob has a strong opinion about the purpose and aim of his work. And sometimes it needs a poor reproduction quality to proclaim the message. Pegasus, the publisher, was not beyond any doubts, when it comes to the ideal way of printing a photo book. But HOW do you tell Rob’s story? Is it different this time, compared to, let’s say, the Sochi Singers, or Empty Land, Promised Land, Forbidden Land. Does it at all relate to the way you work on a scenario per publication? Each publication is an entity, and not only should we tell Rob’s story, but the story of The Sochi Project as a whole. None of The Sochi Project publications are to be considered classical photo books. They all consist of different components, and contain a variety of histories. In this respect they are comparable in nature. On the other hand, the making of is quite different in each case. There is no fixed format. Regarding the Sochi Singers, Rob was uncertain whether to publish them, because these pictures are of a typological kind. In editing that yearbook, I had an extensive role. Please realize a strong cooperation is required in how to outline a publication. Editing and design are not split tasks; Rob, Arnold, Arthur [Herrman] and / or me are involved. And yes, you could call it a ‘scenario’, in terms of choices that have to be made, but the way the process of book production develops is different each time. Let’s take The Secret History as a case study: what choices have been made, how did the process unravel? In The Secret History the text is directive: the narrative structure is carried by the text. At one point, a major decision was taken: incorporating the personal history of Khava. Then, the booklet inserted in the year publication was eventually planned as a quire, prior to binding. As the texts in the book consist of two different levels, these images, being reproductions of a small family photo album found in Khava’s home, represent a different level than the documentary photography by Rob. In this way the facsimile is both part of the integral publication, and a separate unit. As I explained earlier, the stratification in the text consists of two kinds of chapters: one written from a historical perspective on the Caucasus, the other focussing on the tragic family history of Khava Gaisanova. And chapter titles are
page 32
The Sochi Project and its publications
respectively printed in black, and in red. In fact, the new journalistic epic story versus the family history is represented in the structure of the book. And of course, this is not a fixed format. Rob also took pictures of family members, personages in the street, but the booklet is definitely a jewel devoted to amateur and family photography. And this idea for the insert sprouted from the story development. The photographs are not entirely full bleeding images. Using newsprint full bleed on both vertical sides of the pages is not possible. What you see is the rough unfinished edges of the newsprint, literally, the edge of the print roll. I really like that aspect. So you have to check all possibilities taking into account the negative format Rob is using. Images are only full bleed on the upper and lower side of the page. The result is a kind of roughness that suits the project. And sometimes there is the amount and use of white space on a page. Like page 201, the title for chapter 11: ‘The Islam’. Chapter number and title in a header, is what you mean. I like that very much, the content of the book gains strength by this kind of ‘unfinished’ page. We had a discussion whether to number the different chapters or not, I was a proponent, because numbering supports the storyline, the sequencing of chapters. If you would open the book and just read ‘The Islam’, it is an odd cry. I consider the numbered chapters suitable for a historical overview…. Yes, indeed. The density in black ink is not always equal. You have to realize the newspaper printer is an enormous machine, stamping away. The print runs of such a machine usually is 20.000 and more. The print run for this publication is peanuts: 1100 copies are printed in 20 minutes! And it delivers standard newsprint quality, with fluctuations inherent to the printing process, including spots. It is a hybrid product: newsprint bound at the bookbinder. And that requires guidance. For commodity use. Yes, indeed. That’s it!
Originally published March 28th 2013 on Mirelle Thijsen’s blog ‘–theloggingroad’ (iphorblog.wordpress.com), reprinted here with the kind permission of the author.
page 33-37: The Secret History of Khava Gaisanova (Year Publication #4) 2013 200 x 270 mm 352 pages plus 32 pages insert newsprint and offset, full colour 107 colour photographs 1.100 copies
page 33
The Secret History of Khava Gaisanova Khava Gaisanova lives in Chermen, a village in the heart of the North Caucasus. In 2007 her husband disappeared. Like so many other men in the North Caucasus, he disappeared without a trace – kidnapped, arrested or simply executed and buried in anonymous graves.
The Secret History of Khava Gaisanova
Production wise, newsprint suited the nature of the story, about the unstable North Caucasus. It sustains its sobriety on one hand and we capture the journalistic feeling of the publication on the other. In ‘The Secret History of Khava Gaisanova’, a grim picture unfolds of the region hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics.
page 34
The Secret History of Khava Gaisanova
page 35
The Secret History of Khava Gaisanova
page 36
The Secret History of Khava Gaisanova
The Secret History of Khava Gaisanova, easily one of the very best photo books published in 2013. Jรถrg Colberg, Conscientious (cphmag.com)
After reading this book, I was deeply impressed. Not only by what the authors - under sometimes life-threatening conditions - have established, but also by the enormous power to survive all those ordinary people they have interviewed and portrayed and whose stories are now burned on my brains. Michel Krielaars, NRC
page 37
The Secret History of Khava Gaisanova
Sketchbook Series The Sketchbook series, started in 2011, has a double purpose. At first it gives the opportunity to publish smaller stories which would never end up in a year publication. At the same time the money raised with sales, supports the project. Every copy of the Sketchbook Series is individually numbered from 1-750. Number 1-15 are reserved as special editions.
Safety First (Sketchbook Series #1) ‘Safety First’ is entirely composed of negatives which were damaged by X-ray scanners during Arnold and Rob’s stay in Grozny. In the Chechen capital, these scanners are not only placed at the entrance to the airport or government buildings, but also to shops, gyms, restaurants and outside on squares. The question posed by ‘Safety First’ is what the difference is between security and a false sense of security. The lay-out of the pages simply follows the order and position of the images on the damaged rolls of film, thus showing how the X-ray trails move over the images. At the same time this gives a rare insight in Rob’s working process, also showing shots that normally would never make it till the final edit.
The Sochi Project Sketchbook Series Safety First (2011) Life Here Is Serious (2012) KIEV (2012)
page 38
Sketchbook Series
page 39: Safety First Safety First is the first book in the Sketchbook Series. 2011 150 x 210 mm 48 pages offset, full colour 41 colour photographs, hardbound with photoillustrated dust-jacket 750 copies Winner Magnum Expression Award, 2011
page 39
The Secret History of Khava Gaisanova
Life Here Is Serious 2012 150 x 210 mm 48 pages plus 1 fold out offset, full colour 28 colour photographs hardback with photo-illustrated dust jacket 750 copies
page 40
Life Here Is Serious (Sketchbook Series #2) In ‘Life Here Is Serious’ the North Caucasus’ most popular national sport is described: wrestling. Every town and village has a wrestling school. North Caucasians always win medals at the Olympics. In the Caucasus wrestling is not just a sport, it is an integral part of the culture and history of a region paralysed by war and violence. ‘Wrestling is serious, because life here is serious.’
Sketchbook Series
KIEV 2012 150 x 210 mm offset, full colour cardboard fold-out book in a photo-illustrated wrapper 750 copies Listed as one of the best books of 2012 at Photo-eye Magazine Nominated for the European Design Awards 2013
page 41
KIEV (Sketchbook Series #3) The Sochi Project’s third Sketchbook depicts Sochi in the summer as well as being an ode to analogue photography. In the summer of 2011, Rob fell in love with a 40-year-old KIEV mediumformat camera, which a friend gave him as a gift in the Russian resort of Sochi. Over the following days, he roamed the city with his new acquisition and photographed things that he had never seen before through the lens of his
Sketchbook Series
Mamiya camera. When he got home and developed the films, he found that the KIEV’s film transport system was defective. From the accompanying text: ‘The power of analogue photo graphy is the unpredictability, the imperfection, the setbacks that are initially so frustrating, but ultimately add unexpected dimensions to the images. It is this that gives the work its own identity. Analogue photo graphy thus reflects real life, more than digital photography ever will.’
21 page 42-43: Sochi Singers Billboards 2013 42 piece billboard 297 x 420 mm full size 208 x 250 cm offset, full colour 250 copies Due to the double-sided printing, each billboard consists of two Sochi Singers
page 42
Sochi Singers Billboards Especially for overview exhibitions we develop a series of billboards in a limited edition of 250 copies. They come in a protective cardboard packaging with a numbered label.
Sochi Singers Billboards
page 43
Sketchbooks Series
The final phase In anticipation to the opening of the Winter Olympics in Sochi on February 7th 2014, The Sochi Project reaches its final phase in the fall of 2013. All stories, images, texts and other materials are re-edited, combined and brought to the public on three platforms simultaneously. At first a large overview publication is published in association with New York based publisher
page 44
Aperture. At the same time a completely new structured and designed website is launched and the first in a series of international exhibitions opens at the FotoMuseum Antwerp. Each of these platforms is being used in its own particular way to spread the stories of the Sochi Project to a growing audience as the international attention for the region reaches a peak when the Games begin.
An Atlas of War and Tourism in the Caucasus
page 44–49: An Atlas of War and Tourism in the Caucasus 2013 240 x 294 mm 392 pages and 16 inserted 1/2 sized pages offset, full colour hardbound, linen cover, silkscreen on front cover and spine french folded dust cover, spot uv on front cover 4.000 copies published by Aperture New York
page 45
An Atlas of War and Tourism in the Caucasus This is the final Sochi Project publication. A monumental linen covered trade book, where all stories gathered over five years come together. The book contains some images that were already published in the year publications as well as new material. All images have extended captions. The book features 14 new texts in special
An Atlas of War and Tourism in the Caucasus
sections, as well as detailed maps of the region. At the end, a 40 page travel journal is added containing behind the scene imagery of five years of traveling for the Sochi Project.
page 46
An Atlas of War and Tourism in the Caucasus
page 47
An Atlas of War and Tourism in the Caucasus
page 48
An Atlas of War and Tourism in the Caucasus
page 49
An Atlas of War and Tourism in the Caucasus
page 50–53: Website 2013 backend built with PHP using an open source cms framework, frontend developed in HTML5 / Javascript The website is in English, Russian and Dutch Nominated for the IDFA DocLab Awards 2013
Website Having approached the end of the project we revise the website and transform the stories into an online interactive documentary. It is shaped as a long read divided in eight chapters, ranging from ‘The Summer Capital’ to ‘Putin’s Private Project’. Lots of imagery, video content and detailed maps accompany stories and side stories presenting all aspects of the project.
The Sochi Project have completely revamped their website. The new version tells large parts of the story, using a state-of-the-art multimedia heavy approach: There are large images and small ones, images from the books and outtakes produced with cheap digital cameras, plus vernacular photographs. There are videos, some to click on, others running automatically. There even are links to electronic versions of the publications. Jรถrg Colberg, Conscientious (cphmag.com)
page 53
Website
page 54–59: An Atlas of War and Tourism in the Caucasus Exhibition 128 page large format newspaper, framed C-prints, videoscreens, foil cut typography, large scale inkjet prints, offset printed billboards, reading table Shown are images of the exhibition in FotoMuseum Antwerp Confirmed exhibition dates and venues: October 17 – December 22, 2013 Winzavod, Moscow, Russia (cancelled) October 25, 2013 – March 9, 2014 FotoMuseum, Antwerp, Belgium January 16 – March 30, 2014 DePaul University Art Museum, Chicago, USA January 30 – March 22 Fotohof, Salzburg, Austria May 1 – 31, 2014 CONTACT Gallery, Toronto, Canada May 30 – July 10, 2014 Aperture Gallery, New York, USA
page 54
An Atlas of War and Tourism in the Caucasus The final exhibition of The Sochi Project is designed as a toolkit which can be applied to a variety of venues, both big and small. The core of the exhibitions is a 128-page large format newspaper publication which contains all images of the exhibition including extended captions. Depending on budget, size and structure of the venue some of these news paper images can be replaced by framed C-prints in various sizes. Statements, quotes and other accompanying texts are available and scalable, as well as a large overview map of the region. The Sochi Singers can be shown as large billboards (see page 42). All publications are available to create a reading table in the center of the space.
An Atlas of War and Tourism in the Caucasus
The structure of the exhibitions is created primarily to form a recognizable and flexible set of media to serve a variety of venues ranging from schools and small galleries to large museums. The variety of media used, support the layered and multi- faceted nature of the project.
page 56
An Atlas of War and Tourism in the Caucasus
page 57
An Atlas of War and Tourism in the Caucasus
page 59
An Atlas of War and Tourism in the Caucasus
K&H do not limit their work to a specific medium. They grew up with print, but are living in a rapidly changing world, and projects often ask for a combination of media. Regardless of the means or media, they firmly believe that a good design should be based on a clear and strong idea, executed in a consistent manner. The aesthetics should never get in the way of
K&H Kummer & Herrman is an office for design founded in 1998 by Jeroen Kummer and Arthur Herrman. Since the start they gathered around them a small team of creative professionals who share their love for topnotch projects for a wide range of international clients.
Over the years, K&H gathered a lot of international acclaim for their work. They were nominated and awarded numerously. At the moment, they are considered as one of the leading agencies worldwide for photo book design.
bringing across this idea. Recently, Kummer & Herrman has been increasingly involved as designers in the field of photography. They are collaborating with photographers, publishers and curators, and are working on exhibitions, visual identities, apps and websites.
TEAM Arthur Herrman Jeroen Kummer Simon Burer Robin Sluijs Kim Waterlander (intern) Sofie Bernhagen (intern)
SELECTED CLIENTS Anouk Kruithof; Aperture Foundation; Association of Dutch Interior Architects; Dutch Foundation for Literature; Editions Xavier Barral; FotoMuseum Antwerpen; Hans van der Meer; Hatje Cantz Verlag; KLM Royal Dutch Airlines; Melinda Gibson; NAi Publishers; NTR, Dutch Public Television Paradox; Raphaël Dallaporta; Royal TNT Post; Sternberg Press; Thames & Hudson WassinkLundgren; Witte de With; World Press Photo
SELECTED AWARDS / 2013: Selected for IDFA DocLab with online documentary (The Sochi Project); Bronze at European Design Award for ‘Poppy – Trails of Afghan Heroin’; Canon Prize for ‘Poppy – Trails of Afghan Heroin’; Nomination European Design Awards for ‘KIEV’ (TSP). / 2012: Gold at Deutscher Fotobuchpreis for ‘Poppy – Trails of Afghan Heroin’; PDN Photo Annual-Book Category for ‘Sochi Singers’ (TSP) / 2011: Canon Prize for ‘On the Other Side of the Mountains’ (TSP); Photo Eye’s Best Books: ‘Tokyo Tokyo’ (WassinkLundgren), ‘Empty land, Promised land, Forbidden land’ (TSP) and ‘Playing Borders’ (Anouk Kruithof).
©2013, Kummer & Herrman All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without written permission.
facebook.com/kummerherrman behance.net/kummerherrman
NO FIXED FORMAT published by: Kummer & H errman Kromme Nieuwegracht 88 3512 HM Utrecht (NL) t +31 (0)30 234 38 24 studio@kummer-herrman.nl www.kummer-herrman.nl
Rob Hornstra (photographer) and Arnold van Bruggen (journalist and film maker) have been working together since 2007 to tell the story of Sochi, Russia, site of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. They have returned repeatedly to this region as committed practitioners of ‘slow journalism’, establishing a solid foundation of research on and engagement with this small yet incredibly complicated region before it finds itself in the glare of international media attention. The Sochi Project was cofounded by Rob Hornstra and Arnold van Bruggen, in association with long-standing collaborators Kummer & Herrman,
‘No Fixed Format’ gives an overview of the most striking expressions of this project. It showcases the large variety of ways to disseminate and present documentaries. It demonstrates what visual storytelling in a collaborative manner is about.