War is a disaster
Book Review
Artist: Henri Airo
Publisher: Utu Press
Specs: Softcover, 19×26,5 cm
Price: €39
“(…) “Collective memory refers to the internal historical perspective of communities, the key experiences within different generations and historical trauma through which a community shapes its identity.”
Why do many nations still celebrate victories from World War I or World War II, and why is there still a cult of the unknown soldier? Henri Aiuto, a Finnish visual artist, helps us better understand these phenomena in his book “War is a disaster”.
He investigates how the collective memory of the war is layered and reproduced in Finnish culture through the media, rituals, and education, using a mechanism that can be defined as permanent propaganda. As the author writes in the appendix to his book: “Collective memory refers to the internal historical perspective of communities, the key experiences within different generations and historical trauma through which a community shapes its identity.”
The artist combines some photos he took in museums, during memorials and historical reenactments with propaganda images collected from the Finnish army archives and vernacular photos from his family album. The two categories of images are skillfully combined, so much so that, in some cases, it is difficult to distinguish between them.
The work is enriched by a series of documents that explore certain themes, such as the relationship between war and cinema, as in the case of the film “The Unknown Soldier,” which is referred to several times. The texts in the appendix are very interesting, some of which were written by Airo himself, and which explore topics such as the relationship between art and propaganda and that of collective memory.
The book, carefully designed by Camilla Marrese (who also edited the layout), by the author himself and Toivo Heinimaki, has a functional and effective graphic structure that aids the narrative, and the choice of two types of paper is, in my opinion, very apt, both in terms of feel and photographic quality. The choice of dust jacket, under which the text shown in the image below is hidden, also adds further refinement to the editorial solution.
“War is a disaster” invites the reader to reflect on how power uses art, education, rituals, and institutions in general to form a collective memory that contributes to creating the identity of a people. The case in question, that of Finland, which was attacked by Russia during the last world war and borders it, is emblematic both in terms of directing any internal discontent towards a common enemy and as a state of constant preparation for war for existential reasons. It is no coincidence that Finland, as the artist reminds us, is one of the European countries that has never renounced compulsory military service.
Why is this book important? Through this work, the Finnish artist helps us to investigate and, in some way, to better sense the smell of war that is approaching all of Europe. Almost all European countries have significantly increased their military spending, and rumors of the reintroduction of military conscription are becoming increasingly plausible in many countries on the old continent.
In short, the constant threat, which was previously limited to the Baltic and Scandinavian countries, is now spreading throughout Europe. We will probably see phenomena similar to those reported by Airo to corroborate the faint belligerent spirit of European citizens.
I think that “War is a Disaster” is a title created with great care and research, in which the author’s presence and choices are always clearly visible, helping us to interpret the present. It was a pleasant discovery, and I hope it will be for you too.
The book is available for purchase via UTU Press here.
Henri Airo
Henri Airo (b. 1996) is a visual artist, educator and art worker based in Helsinki. In his artistic practice Airo relates to different social phenomena through documentary narratives. Rooted in exchange and considering images together, his works typically develop through collaboration with individuals, communities and archives. His research-based projects often combine photography with other lens-based mediums, text and archival material.
UTU Press
Utu Press is a Helsinki-based, artist-run publishing platform established in 2020 specializing in photo books and small publications. Our catalogue primarily features photographic art, experimental documentary narratives, and text publications related to photographic art.
Text by Santolo Felaco
Founder and director of Discarded Magazine