BY PETER WATERSCHOOT
A relevant project is always a good basis for photo book making. In ‘Late Spring’ Debby Huysmans documents a reclusive region while looking for the stories this region might have to tell, a recurring approach in her body of work. This time she chose the MUSTARINDA ART RESIDENCY in Finland. “Mustarinda is situated on the second highest summit in Kainuu, adjacent to the north-east edge of the Paljakka nature reserve. The surrounding view is of valuable, and in some places, completely untouched old-growth forests. Paljakka and Mustarinda are also some of Finland’s snowiest areas. Mustarinda is the only inhabited house on the summit” written on the Mustarinda website. It does sound tempting and indeed promising.
© Still from the book ‘Late Spring’ by Debby Huysmans
A first glance through the book offers you very comforting forest views. The landscapes inspire knowledge of woodlands and nature exploration despite the fact that not many of us have visited primeval forest. As you plunge deeper into the book you will follow the emotional catharsis the photographer experienced during her journey. Debby apparently works within the tension of a grand écart between on the one hand sober and distant registration and on the other hand involvement with the situation. She does not let herself get carried away. She is a cerebral photographer, cataloguing, creating frames and patterns.
© Still from the book ‘Late Spring’ by Debby Huysmans
All the material is assembled in an inlaid index, an index can be taken out and held on the side as you descend into a slow discovery within the book. The photographer subtly guides you through a forest of white-paper-margined images with textual explanations.
© Still from the book ‘Late Spring’ by Debby Huysmans
After a few readings of the photo book, you start to enjoy the returning of forms, patterns and colors, e.g. The red quadrant (a small plot used in ecology to isolate a standard unit of area for study of the distribution of life form). While being photographed the red ribbon square becomes a rhomb. The rhomb returns in several other pictures, so do fabrics like blue plastic, birch skin and fur. Predominantly present is the very pale and enjoyable color palette. But at times, Huysmans leads us into the darkness of the forest, thick black and deep green pictures, deep beneath the overgrowth at the belly of the forest. Where the witld things are. Where wolves sleep.
INFO
An exclusive (limited edition of 10) special edition (250€) is available by APE - Art Paper Editions. The photo book is enclosed in a wooden box/frame [ 20x30cm ], ready to be exhibited on your wall, including a mounted image, a colour card game and a signed copy of the book.