Spasibo

“Spasibo” starts with a bang: an official fireworks display celebrating Chechnya’s Constitution Day in the capital, Grozny. The charade continues with photographs of well-heeled couples in a newly constructed square; sunlight glints off skyscrapers and black SUVs. But Davide Monteleone, a runner-up for the 2014 Aperture Portfolio Prize and winner of the 2011 European Publishers Award, quickly bypasses officially sanctioned narratives. He captures the anxieties of a persecuted culture at odds with Russia and itself: its newly politicized religiosity and accompanying misogyny, its disabled veterans, and the omnipresent visage of its Putin-vetted president, Ramzan Kadyrov. “This book stands out for its narrative sequencing and the intensity of the printing,” says Julien Frydman. “Despite being relatively classic in form, small design touches—including short-trimmed, sage-colored pages on which historical, personal photos appear, and a gorgeous silk-screened cloth cover—give this book extra impact”.