THE TRUTH IS IN THE SOIL

After turning just a few pages of Greek visual artist Ioanna Sakellaraki’s The Truth is in Soil it’s clear her first publication cements her position within the photography world.  

An elegy to her late father, the five year project explores grief, Ioanna’s homeland and the traditions linked. ‘Through my images I want to talk about what is lost,’ she says. ‘To me, these images work as vehicles for mourning perished ideals of vitality, prosperity and belonging, attempting to tell something further than their subjects by creating a space where death can exist.’ Focusing on the last communities of mourners on the Mani Peninsula of Greece, the work explores mortuary rituals as a way of humans adapting to death. 

 

 

A balance of landscapes, portraits and some more abstract imagery, all of the photographs are shot on medium format film (Ioanna uses a Zenza Bronica SQ-A) and are imbued with delicacy and feeling. Very much creating her images rather than just documenting a subject, Ioanna’s fascinating style was born out of her countless experiments with her negatives through digital manipulation.  

 

 

Working with publisher GOST Books, the title is exquisite and printed to the highest quality. Accompanying the photographs are a collection of poetry and prose. All written by Ioanna these texts are a fascinating addition to truly understanding her own personal loss as well as the research and critical thinking that went into her compelling project. The clothbound, hardback book is a triumph and one to be cherish by all who own a copy. Special editions are also available and presented in a handmade clothbound slipcase.