On the second day of the Festival we got the results of the ‘Photographic Publication of the year’ contest. The special award for self-published book and consequently the title of the Publication of the Year received Justyna Mielnikiewicz‘s book “Woman with a monkey – Caucasus in Short Notes and Photographs”.

It has been the third edition of the contest. Jury chose 17 finalists’ publications to be presented in the Fotofestiwal’s centre. 5 of them were considered the candidates to the main prize, that is the title of the ‘Photographic Publication of the Year’ and a voucher of 3000 zł for selected Empresse products. Joanna Kinowska, the head of jury, justified their choice in the following words:

“After long consultations, the jury decided to award a self-published book as the publication of the year.. This is another contribution to the debate on the publishing market and on the need to create appropriate conditions for self-published works. The jury decision may be also taken as a suggestion to blur the boundaries (based on the publishing methods) between them, not to emphasize it.

Justyna Mielnikiewicz’s book “Woman With a Monkey…” is thought-out, complex and cross-sectional, very sound and consistent as well. Mielnikiewicz had been doing her research on the Caucasus for years, collecting various stories. She presented many aspects of everyday life, combining it with the reflection on the current events, stereotypes and tradition. In her publications we can see the Caucasus as unexplored and uneasy to be summed up. According to the jury, the combination of photos taken while traveling with texts and notes makes the maximum use of a photobook as a medium. “Woman With a Monkey” consists of all the elements we look for in the contest: a thought-out project, exceptional photographs, the coherent and corresponding graphics, good printing and finally – it is a rich, universal and complete work.  This is the publication which we can always go back to for another story or information and never say ‘enough’.”

The final books in the contest (the order according to the applications):

• Salix Polaris, Anka Sielska, self-publishing
• Tadeusz Sumiński, Industrial, Fundacja Archeologia Fotografii
• Święta Wojna, Wojciech Wilczyk, Wydawnictwo Karakter, galeria Atlas Sztuki
• Boiko, Jan Brykczyński, self-publishing
• The Winners, Rafał Milach, GOST
• No 2,Dominika Gęsicka, Karolina Gembara, Gregory Michenaud, Wiktor Dąbkowski, Maciej Gapiński, Jakub Bors, Łukasz Gryko, Konstancja Nowina Konopka, Krzysztof Racoń, Marta Berens, Sputnik Photos
• Stigma, Adam Lach, self-publishing
• Portrety, Adam Borzęcki, self-publishing
• Woman With a Monkey – Caucasus in Short Notes and Photographs, Justyna Mielnikiewicz, self-publishing
• Film obyczajowy produkcji polskiej, Kuba Dąbrowski, Zachęta – Narodowa Galeria Sztuki
• „deja vu” – Kolekcja Wrzesińska nr 5/2013,Zbigniew Tomaszczuk, The project’s patron: Urząd Miasta i Gminy Września / Wydawnictwo Kropka Jolanta i Waldemar Śliwczyńscy
• Evil Man, Hubert Humka, The Publishing PWSFTviT in Łódź
• Points of Reference, Martyna Wyrzykowska, self-publishing
• Góra, Paweł Starzec, self-publishing
• Alles ist Gut, Wojciech Kostrzewa, Muzeum w Gliwicach
• Invisible Maps, Andrzej Kramarz, Muzeum w Gliwicach
• Some Things are Quieter than Others, Jacek Fota, self-publishing

Jury members:

• Maciej Pisuk – writer, screenwriter, photographer,
• Katarzyna Sagatowska – photographer, curator, lecturer,
• Joanna Kinowska – founder of ‘Miejsce Fotografii’ magazine,
• Łukasz Gorczyca – art historian, curator
• Alicja Kobza – graphic designer,
• Paweł Rubkiewicz – cofounder of the artistic bookstore chain Bookoff,
• Agata Zubrzycka –  program director of Fotofestiwal in Łódź.

More information about the contest here: www.fotopublikacja.pl ^[1]