RM has released a book of Argentinian photographer Guadalupe Gaona’s project Still (original title, Quieta), following its selection as the winner of their first photobook competition in 2010. The series is comprised of interiors of a house, beginning with a furnished home, and ending with emptied walls and rooms. The shedding away transformation is the theme, though no movement is shown, nor occupants, only the still-life steps along the way. This is perhaps where the work falls flat: it’s emotionally barren.

If there is a relationship between the photographer and the house, it’s not given, neither explicitly nor through subtle context in the imagery. Removing furniture from a room can be an incredibly moving experience, as anyone knows, who has moved away from a home they’re connected to. So, the potential emotional content for such a project is very high. Yet Gaona neglects this, so a beautiful chair sitting in a room carries no weight with it when it is removed. While anonymizing the house might have the intention of making it an objective project, the anonymity of the house does not generalize the experience to the audience, instead it sterilizes it. An empty corner is simply an empty corner.

The project is an interesting result in terms of viewing an award-winning book. It contains arguably technically good images, edited to create a story, and is published in a nice form. And yet, there’s something fundamentally missing.

Still is available for sale by Editorial RM.

Reviewed by Katherine Oktober Matthews.