the PIGS – the book

.
Last week I visited Les Rencontre d’Arles, some say the largest photo festival in the world. That could be true, it was certainly bigger than any other photo festival I ever visited. I saw about 50 exhibitions, numerous photo presentations on big and small screens and probably about 1000 photo books.

And 1000 photo books that is, even for me, about 900 too many. I probably missed lots of very interesting and good books, I probably missed the best and most beautiful book (if such a thing even exists), I probably did not even buy the right books. And I flew Ryan Air with the strictest luggage rules in the world, so I was very worried about each extra gram I purchased.

So after 50 books my mind went numb, after 100 books I stopped being interested and after 200 I was bored and had lost all ability to distinguish between bad and brilliant.  Until I noticed a very cheerful guy doing his little song and dance (literally that is) promoting his book/magazine. And luckily it was not just the guy that was different, back home I still think his publication is brilliant or rather brilliantly funny with a sharp edge.

Have a look at The PIGS: a hilarious persiflage of The Economist, but at the same time a magazine that shows the PIGS (Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain) from a different perspective. I have visited the PIGS many times, I even lived in one for a while and for me the photos portray exactly what I like most in these countries. But although the magazine is very recognizable, we hardly ever see the PIGS like this in any publication.

The photographer is Carlos Spottorno, who btw also made a very nice book ‘China Western’ which I did not even realise when I met him.

Don’t forget to visit the WTF bank if you aspire to live beyond your means. And wouldn’t we all like that?