Naarashauki: The Female Pike

Naarashauki: The Female Pike by Esko Männikkö is an intimate, documentary study of rural Finnish people and their culture. Revolving around the experience of fishing for pike in midwinter, the work depicts lonely, middle-aged men in their homes within economically depressed and depopulated regions of Finland. The book serves as a native son's study of his homeland, challenging the notions of the 'photograph as document' through carefully posed and constructed portraits. Published in Oulu, Finland, by Kavela Kustannus Oy, this first edition features photographs and text by Männikkö, accompanied by a bilingual introduction in Finnish and English. The volume is a significant contribution to the history of photography in Finland, having been selected for various compendiums of important photographic works.