Pentti Sammallahti - Works + 8 Postcards Incluided - 2022
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Pentti Sammallahti's book Works + 8 Postcards Incluided, a 1st edition English–Japanese softback of 112 pages (29 × 22 cm) with tipped-in plates, published in 2022 to accompany the exhibition Scandinavia: The Harmony of Light.
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Description from the seller
Published to accompany the exhibition *Scandinavia: The Harmony of Light*, held at the Kyoto Museum of Contemporary Art between April and June 2022, this beautifully produced volume celebrates the first-ever Japanese museum exhibition dedicated to acclaimed Finnish photographer Pentti Sammallahti. More than an exhibition catalogue, it offers an immersive journey into one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary photography.
Born in Helsinki in 1950, Sammallahti began photographing at an early age and, in 1969, embarked on a decade-long project exploring the landscapes, wildlife and remote regions of Finland. That lifelong commitment to observing the natural world gradually expanded beyond his homeland, leading him across Europe and other parts of the world while maintaining the same quiet, contemplative vision that defines his work.
Finland's extraordinary natural rhythms have profoundly shaped Sammallahti's photographic language. The endless twilight of the midnight sun, the darkness of the polar night, frozen lakes, snow-covered forests and vast northern landscapes become more than subjects; they form an atmosphere where animals, people and nature exist in perfect visual balance. His black-and-white photographs are remarkably precise yet deeply poetic, revealing fleeting moments that often feel suspended outside time.
Rather than relying on dramatic events, Sammallahti builds subtle visual narratives through light, composition and patient observation. Birds gathered on frozen shores, solitary dogs crossing empty landscapes or distant human figures emerging from the horizon all contribute to photographs that invite prolonged viewing. Each image rewards careful attention, revealing unexpected relationships between living beings and their surroundings.
The exhibition marked an important milestone, introducing Japanese audiences to Sammallahti's work on a museum scale for the very first time. His photographs offer a welcome alternative to today's relentless visual overload, encouraging a slower, more attentive way of seeing. As Sammallahti himself has recalled, visiting Edward Steichen's legendary *The Family of Man* exhibition at the age of nine inspired him to become a photographer. That formative experience helped shape an artistic vision that has remained remarkably consistent for more than five decades.
Beautifully printed, the publication reproduces the exhibited photographs with exceptional care, preserving the subtle tonal range and delicate contrasts that characterize Sammallahti's imagery. Adding to its appeal, the book also includes a specially designed envelope containing **eight art postcards** featuring photographs by Pentti Sammallahti, making this edition particularly desirable for readers and collectors alike.
An essential publication for anyone interested in Nordic photography, landscape photography and the work of Pentti Sammallahti, this volume stands as a refined celebration of one of Finland's greatest photographic artists. It is an outstanding addition to any library of Photography Books, Independent Photobooks and carefully curated Photobooks.
Seller's Story
Dartbooks is a specialized photography bookshop based in Barcelona, dedicated to photobooks, rare and out-of-print editions, and historically significant publications. With a strong focus on Japanese photography, Dartbooks was founded to provide continuity to a field that requires depth, expertise, and careful curation.
The bookshop was established after the closure of Kowasa, a landmark reference for photography books in Spain. Its disappearance left a clear gap for photographers, collectors, and institutions in need of a space with a serious and knowledgeable approach to the photobook. Dartbooks emerged in response to that need, not as a replacement, but as part of the natural evolution of a cultural ecosystem.
Dartbooks operates with a curatorial mindset, shaped by long-term engagement with photography and book collecting. The project functions as a book hunting platform for collectors, professionals, and libraries worldwide, and also provides advisory support to other bookshops seeking to develop coherent and specialized photography collections.
The catalogue includes new publications, rare and out-of-print titles, monographs, retrospectives, self-published works, signed copies, and editions produced directly by photographers through their own imprints. The selection reflects a sustained commitment to photography as a form of visual narration, where images construct meaning beyond text.
Although rooted in the Gràcia neighbourhood of Barcelona, Dartbooks serves an international audience. Its community includes collectors, professionals, and institutions from France, the United Kingdom, Japan, and beyond, both through the physical space and the online platform.
Dartbooks understands the photobook not merely as an object of consumption, but as a cultural artifact that documents artistic practices, historical contexts, and personal visions. The bookshop functions simultaneously as a place of discovery, an archive in constant growth, and a point of connection between photographers, publishers, and readers.
Published to accompany the exhibition *Scandinavia: The Harmony of Light*, held at the Kyoto Museum of Contemporary Art between April and June 2022, this beautifully produced volume celebrates the first-ever Japanese museum exhibition dedicated to acclaimed Finnish photographer Pentti Sammallahti. More than an exhibition catalogue, it offers an immersive journey into one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary photography.
Born in Helsinki in 1950, Sammallahti began photographing at an early age and, in 1969, embarked on a decade-long project exploring the landscapes, wildlife and remote regions of Finland. That lifelong commitment to observing the natural world gradually expanded beyond his homeland, leading him across Europe and other parts of the world while maintaining the same quiet, contemplative vision that defines his work.
Finland's extraordinary natural rhythms have profoundly shaped Sammallahti's photographic language. The endless twilight of the midnight sun, the darkness of the polar night, frozen lakes, snow-covered forests and vast northern landscapes become more than subjects; they form an atmosphere where animals, people and nature exist in perfect visual balance. His black-and-white photographs are remarkably precise yet deeply poetic, revealing fleeting moments that often feel suspended outside time.
Rather than relying on dramatic events, Sammallahti builds subtle visual narratives through light, composition and patient observation. Birds gathered on frozen shores, solitary dogs crossing empty landscapes or distant human figures emerging from the horizon all contribute to photographs that invite prolonged viewing. Each image rewards careful attention, revealing unexpected relationships between living beings and their surroundings.
The exhibition marked an important milestone, introducing Japanese audiences to Sammallahti's work on a museum scale for the very first time. His photographs offer a welcome alternative to today's relentless visual overload, encouraging a slower, more attentive way of seeing. As Sammallahti himself has recalled, visiting Edward Steichen's legendary *The Family of Man* exhibition at the age of nine inspired him to become a photographer. That formative experience helped shape an artistic vision that has remained remarkably consistent for more than five decades.
Beautifully printed, the publication reproduces the exhibited photographs with exceptional care, preserving the subtle tonal range and delicate contrasts that characterize Sammallahti's imagery. Adding to its appeal, the book also includes a specially designed envelope containing **eight art postcards** featuring photographs by Pentti Sammallahti, making this edition particularly desirable for readers and collectors alike.
An essential publication for anyone interested in Nordic photography, landscape photography and the work of Pentti Sammallahti, this volume stands as a refined celebration of one of Finland's greatest photographic artists. It is an outstanding addition to any library of Photography Books, Independent Photobooks and carefully curated Photobooks.
Seller's Story
Dartbooks is a specialized photography bookshop based in Barcelona, dedicated to photobooks, rare and out-of-print editions, and historically significant publications. With a strong focus on Japanese photography, Dartbooks was founded to provide continuity to a field that requires depth, expertise, and careful curation.
The bookshop was established after the closure of Kowasa, a landmark reference for photography books in Spain. Its disappearance left a clear gap for photographers, collectors, and institutions in need of a space with a serious and knowledgeable approach to the photobook. Dartbooks emerged in response to that need, not as a replacement, but as part of the natural evolution of a cultural ecosystem.
Dartbooks operates with a curatorial mindset, shaped by long-term engagement with photography and book collecting. The project functions as a book hunting platform for collectors, professionals, and libraries worldwide, and also provides advisory support to other bookshops seeking to develop coherent and specialized photography collections.
The catalogue includes new publications, rare and out-of-print titles, monographs, retrospectives, self-published works, signed copies, and editions produced directly by photographers through their own imprints. The selection reflects a sustained commitment to photography as a form of visual narration, where images construct meaning beyond text.
Although rooted in the Gràcia neighbourhood of Barcelona, Dartbooks serves an international audience. Its community includes collectors, professionals, and institutions from France, the United Kingdom, Japan, and beyond, both through the physical space and the online platform.
Dartbooks understands the photobook not merely as an object of consumption, but as a cultural artifact that documents artistic practices, historical contexts, and personal visions. The bookshop functions simultaneously as a place of discovery, an archive in constant growth, and a point of connection between photographers, publishers, and readers.
Details
Number of books
1
Subject
Photography
Book title
Works + 8 Postcards Incluided
Author/ Illustrator
Pentti Sammallahti
Condition
Very good
Publication year oldest item
2022
Height
29 cm
Edition
1st Edition
Width
22 cm
Language
English, Japanese
Original language
Yes
Binding/ Material
Softback
Extras
Tipped in plates
Number of pages
112
