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| The Finest Finnish Books in 2008The Finest Finnish Books 2008 winner is based on food recipes from the 18th and 19th centuries. The book is Louhisaaren linnan talousreseptit (Recipes from Louhisaari Manor) by Jouni Kuurne, with graphic design by Pekka Krankka. The Finnish Book Arts Committee was unanimous in its selection. Kuurne´s book is a modern, elegant and carefully finished compilation of fascinating old material. The committee found the book to be almost flawlessly beautiful. Its format is traditional and its typography complements the topic. The hand-written recipe booklet preserved in the archives of Louhisaari Manor includes recipes and housekeeping instructions from 1770 to 1850 as well as notes by the inhabitants, including Count Carl Erik Mannerheim and his wife. Carl Erik Mannerheim was the great-grandfather of Marshal C. G. Mannerheim. A record number of fine booksThe Finest Finnish Books 2008 collection includes not only the winner, but also 29 other works or series of works. The number is considerably higher than last year. In addition, the Book Jacket Award was given to 12 books. The committee noted that overall book design has improved in Finland. We can now boast highly talented graphic designers and first-rate printing skills. Each year, numerous Finnish books are published which have immensely ambitious content and layouts. The committee again strived to find books whose form and content support each other. The starting point for the committee´s work was graphic design as a whole, from typography to the final printed product. The committee also paid attention to an appropriate balance between content and design. A total of 196 Finnish books published in 2008 were sent for the committee´s assessment. These included fiction, non-fiction, children´s books and textbooks from 72 publishers. About half the publishers were traditional publishing houses, while the rest were museums, foundations, commercial businesses and associations. Some of the books were self-publications. Children´s books and photography books reach new heightsIn 2008, top-level design and printing seemed to focus on books with exceptionally high-quality content as well. The committee was pleased to note the substance and ambition of the publications. Jaakko Ollikainen has captured the spirit of Claude Simon in his design for the Finnish translation of the Nobel Prize winner´s last novel Raitiotie (The Trolley). Martti Ruokonen´s graphic design of the book Katu kadulta taivaaseen (Street after street to heaven) is a magnificent celebration of Spanish poetry. Ruokonen also designed the jackets of two books that received an award this year. The year 2008 saw the publication of many children´s books by talented Finnish illustrators, and the graphic design of these books also met high standards. The committee gave recognition to three children´s books: Marika Maijala has created powerful illustrations and subtle typography for Hannu Mäkelä´s book Vauvaunia (Baby dreams); Markus Pyörälä has produced an attractive design for the Finnish translation of Eduard Uspensky´sUncle Fyodor stories (in addition to designing two award-winning book jackets); and Erika Kallasmaa´sYökyöpelit (Night owls), with immaculate graphic design, has been skilfully and innovatively illustrated as well. The quality of Finnish photography books was extremely high in 2008. The committee awarded a prize for two works with brilliant pictorial dramaturgy and printing quality: Perttu Lämsä´s design of Rafael Minkkinen´s book and Jorma Hinkka´s design of Hannes Heikura´s book. The publication of Finnish art books is a valuable activity in itself. Anu Tuominen´s self-published book on her own art represents the very top of this genre. Tuominen designed the graphic layout of her book together with Maria Mitrunen. Timo Numminen´s design for a book on Howard Smith bears a likeness to the artist himself, and Jari Karppanen´s delicate layout of the book Martti Aiha is respectful of its subject´s art. For the first time, the 2008 selection includes a comic book. It was designed by Kaisa and Christoffer Leka. In addition to Markus Pyörälä and Martti Ruokonen, Anders Carpelan has designed several of the works recognised this year. He received an award for two elegant books, one entitled Maire Gullichsen and the other a book by Lars Huldén, as well as for a book jacket design. Minna Luoma also received an award for two books, as did the Finnish design company dog design. The finest Finnish and Estonian books exhibited at the National Library of FinlandThe Finest Finnish and Estonian Books 2008 exhibition will be open at the National Library of Finland from 13 March to 20 April 2008. The Finest Finnish Books 2008 collection will later be shown in several other libraries and at book fairs. The collection will also be shown abroad in exhibitions at the Finnish Institute library in Stockholm, the Tartu University Library, the Estonian Academy of Arts in Tallinn, the Frankfurt Book Fair and the Leipzig Book Fair as well as in the Best Book Design from all over the World competition, in which 33 countries participate. The Finnish Book Arts Committee has selected the top Finnish books every year since 1946. The committee functions under the auspices of the Finnish Book Foundation, and includes representatives of 15 associations and institutes in the book and graphic design sector. FURTHER INFORMATION AND PHOTOGRAPHS: Tuula Isoniemi, Chair of the Finnish Book Arts Committee Photographs of the Finest Finnish Books 2008: Photo credits: book photos © Antti Huittinen    |
