MILACH, Rafal - The Winners

Background information

"This book, 'The Winners' by Rafal MILACH is dedicated to winners of various state and local competitions supported by the Belarusian authorities. The list of the winners also includes the best of the best in contests promoting beauty or public space maintenance. Winners are present in kolkhozes, schools, public institutions, nightclubs, village discos and on Boards of Honour in almost each Belarusian town." (R.M.)

Content

"The text-only cover of 'The Winners' features a decree from the president of the Republic of Belarus concerning the organization of the state work force, while the images inside include portraits of people in uniform and seemingly random objects like a stuffed moose head, pink curtains, cornfields, and larger-than-life sculptures of fish, unified by their no-frills framing and composition, and bleak post-Soviet palette. Careful inspection reveals that each image is tipped onto the page; lifting them up discloses a caption announcing that this is an award-winning kaleidoscope, the classroom wall of the best teacher in Minsk, or the winner of the best welder and of the Brotherhood of Russian and Belarusian Nations competition. “It’s a small but effective gesture, carried through consistently and intelligently, that renders the collection of images all the more surreal,” says Lesley Martin." (Paris Photobook Award 2014)

Additional information

Selected as one of the Best Books of 2014 by: Laia Abril, Adam Broomberg & Oliver Chanarin, Christopher J. Johnson, Manik Katyal, Ramon Pez and Mark Power

About the Polish photographer Rafal MILACH

Photo books by and with contribution by Rafal MILACH