Marko Hämäläinen: Silence moves with the wind

The poetic book of Marko Hämäläinen tracks his travels in the northern wilderness with a gentle stride. The vast, limitless whiteness of the snowy desert along with the mythical twilight of the polar night create a feeling of meditation for the traveler, at times turning the wintery scenes to dreamscapes. Yet there is a heavy burden on the shoulders of the traveler, despite all the beauty. Photographed over the course of a decade in Finnish Lapland, the work conveys the stark beauty of the arctic scenery. With the years passing, Hämäläinen has recorded the inexorable change in the winter weather of the northern highlands. Wet snow and sudden fogs occur more and more instead of punishing, extreme cold spells. The book, consisting of black and white photos and essays and notes written during the treks, is his first publication.

Silence moves with the wind is a Photobook Award 2021 finalist.