The blink-and-you-miss-it sale is devised by Aron Mörel, founder of Mörel Books, to play with the restraints of traditonal photobook print releases, which are often limited and exclusive in their numerical quantity.
An inveterate bookmaker himself, JH Engström was the perfect choice for the time-sensitive collaboration, known for his highly collectable monographs.
The acclaimed Swedish photographer’s raw and confrontational imagery is marked by a distinctly subjective approach, documenting his surroundings and often exploring his own sense of self within an existential framework.
OCTOBER: Fear of Leaving mixes both archival and new material to offer an intriguing insight into the photographer’s world, capturing the experience of the lived moment.
The book plays an integral part in Engström’s prolific practice – his numerous offerings developed over a number of maquettes tend to be fused together with expressive energy.
Each black and white image looks like a memory, a fleeting moment caught intuitively through Engström’s lens. Collages of stark landscapes and intimate portraits are juxtaposed to reflect his eclectic style, eye for detail, and ability to encapsulate the emotional connections of those he photographs.
Mörel Books will only print OCTOBER: Fear of Leaving in the amount of copies which are ordered within time frame of midnight 27 – 28 October 2016.
With a reputation notable for giving photographers total freedom, Mörel defies expectations, pushing the boundaries of conventional photobook publishing in his desire to keep the medium alive and healthy with new ideas.
“I don’t understand why photographers limit their work to a specific number of prints,” says Mörel. “So I phoned Engström and said, ‘How about we do a book that’s available for 48 hours? Why don’t we do something that isn’t limited by quantity, but by whatever orders come through.'”
“From a publishers side it’s a fun little exercise, an experiment. With digital technology, there are no limitations.”
OCTOBER: Fear of Leaving is available from Mörel Books and exclusively at The Photographers Gallery until 11.59pm (GMT) 28 October 2016. For more, go here.
