The Association of Photographic Artists and the Finnish Museum of Photography have granted the Photobook Award 2024 to Nelli Palomäki's book SHARED. The winner was be chosen by the curator of the Moderna Museet Anna Tellgren (Sweden). The award is granted annually to an exceptional fine art photographic book. The winner receives a prize worth 2,000 €, and the other finalists 500 €. 

SHARED, a newest book by a Finnish photographer Nelli Palomäki, explores siblinghood through portraiture. Essay ’On Siblinghood’ is written by a Finnish essayist and literary translator Antti Nylén.

Anna Tellgren, who selected the winner, says:

"Photographer Nelli Palomäki (born 1981) has described her ongoing project Shared, which explores siblinghood, as something that found her rather than a conscious choice. For many years, she has worked on portraits of children and young adults, often surrounded by siblings. She was intrigued to investigate the complexity of their relationships, emotions, and individuality − and how these elements could be expressed in her photographs. To create a publication has been the photographer’s wish for a long time, and in 2024, she self-published a book featuring a selection of her intimate portraits, primarily of sibling pairs. The book includes an essay by Antti Nylén which offers insightful comments and a background to the theme of siblinghood".

"Designed in a large format (420 x 275 mm) with a dark softcover, the book presents her black-and-white photographs arranged irregularly over the pages. The content, together with the careful layout, emphasizes the smooth and beautiful, but at the same time shows the ever-present dark and disturbing aspects of the photographic portraits. The book is congenial with the work of Nelli Palomäki. The photobook Shared makes it possible to get closer, and return several times, to the intriguing portraits by Nelli Palomäki. I really feel that she has found the perfect form to present her photographs of siblings. The children are on display, but all protected within the cover of the book".

Nelli Palomäki, SHARED, published in June 2024, first edition, self-published with the support of Arts Promotion Centre Finland and VISEK.
Edition of 250 copies.

The other Photobook Award finalist are Henri Airo, War is a Disaster and Markus Jokela, Moments and Landscapes of Minor Importance. Special mentions were given to Jari Salo, Monolith ja Mikael Siirilä, Here, in Absence.

The award highlights the book as a form of fine art photography and as an independent art work. The aim of the award is to encourage and motivate authors of photobooks and to invite the public to become familiar with the art form. The award is granted to a Finnish photographic artist or an artist residing in Finland. In spring 2025 the award is granted for a book published in 2024.

The Photobook Award 2024 books are available for purchase at shop.hippolyte.fi and the gallery's bookshop at Yrjönkatu 8–10. 

The Photobook Award has been supported by Kuvasto.