Karoliina Paatos / American Cowboy

WON THE AWARD FOR THE BEST DESIGNED BOOK AT THE SLOVENIAN BOOK FAIR 2016

Freelance photographer Karoliina Paatos has photographed cowboy culture in the western parts of the United States since 2010. She has spent three months at cattle ranches and rodeos in Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. During her journeys she has participated in the roundup of cattle, calf branding and horse training, as well as followed coyote shooting, cow calving and the life of the rodeo arena outside of the spotlights.

In her images, Paatos looks behind the scenes and reveals the glamorous and rugged life of cowboys, not forgetting a touch of warm irony. Cowboys are not just a part of popular culture and myths, their lifestyle is a vital and ever changing part of life in the United States. They are contemporary nomads, who do a mobile and hard work on a small wage.

Karoliina Paatos studies in Aalto University's MA degree program in photography.  She graduated in photography from the Lahti University of Applied Sciences (Finland) in 2006. She works for the largest newspapers and magazines in Finland. Besides journalistic work, she works actively on her own projects, and she has presented them in several exhibitions. Paatos’ previous large series, Macho Looks was a collaboration with Johanna Kannasmaa, and dealt with macho culture in the Balkans. The American Cowboy is Paatos’ first solo exhibition.

First edition: 300 books, hand-numbered and signed.

Language: English
Size: 29,7 x 23,5 cm, 120 pages
Binding: hardcover with open spine
Publisher: The Angry Bat, 2016