Book Review: 10 Years by Sandra Cattaneo Adorno

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Book Review: 10 Years by Sandra Cattaneo Adorno

May 29th, 2025 by Cary Benbow

from ’10 Years’ © Sandra Cattaneo Adorno

Sandra Cattaneo Adorno’s 10 Years from Radius Books was immediately an object of curiosity when I opened the cover. First off, I wasn’t sure if I opened the front or back cover because the pages flowed from either direction. The viewer enters the work without introduction, save a brief but solemn title page, with no leading sentence or artist statement; nothing but your eyes and hands to lead the way.

We see images printed in golden, metallic ink on black pages. Adorno shows us illustrative, bold scenes of solitary figures or groups of people in the water, people on beaches, fishing nets, views of leisure, and repose balanced somehow with a feeling of vibrant tranquility created by the glimmering metallic ink used throughout the book.

A somewhat painful shortcoming for Cattaneo Adorno unfortunately, is that I don’t feel like I can succinctly describe what the book is ‘about’. But I can talk about the experience of interacting with her book. It’s one of the most memorable books I’ve interacted with.

Radius Books describes the book as “resisting the notions of beginning and end,” and I took advantage of a photobook meeting with friends to explore 10 Years in a space where the book could be fully expanded like a fully-stretched-out accordion. Because the book lacked a traditional linear visual narrative, my initial confusion stemmed from whether I was “reading it the right way or not.” As we inspected the book, that uncertainty transformed into a series of questions and further inspection. “How is this all one piece? Where is it glued? Was this hand folded, and how far do you think it will stretch when it’s pulled out all the way?” This photobook clearly demonstrates exceptional craftsmanship and artistry, setting it apart from the majority of photobooks we have seen. Radius Books almost always delivers top quality binding, paper stock, printing and design considerations. This is no exception.

10 Years utilizes an accordion-fold design, presenting a single, continuous page that unfolds rather than being turned. This unique structure requires the reader to traverse the entire length of the paper and then return to the beginning to unfold and view the reverse side, effectively offering two distinct perspectives on the work.

The book, even though it is a bit heavier than normal, is easily viewed by leafing through it like normal. The folded pages will comply, and one can start anew and open the other direction of how the pages are presented. All of this is fine. But when the book ‘breaks the fourth wall’ so to speak, it really sings. After stretching the book out across two long tables we butted together in the gallery space, it reminded me of interacting with popup books from my childhood, or making a Slinky walk down the staircase. The element of fun definitely played a role. Cattaneo Adorno’s images which feature people enjoying themselves through physical activity like swimming or being active outdoors easily brought the theme of play and experience to the fore.

As a group, we agreed that we were freed from the traditional experience of exploring a book. The playfulness and simple enjoyment of how Adorno’s images played off each other when viewed in-the-round, or exploring the work in any direction from either cover, became the focus. The graphic nature of shapes, forms, the repetition of patterns and textures represented in gold and black hues helped encapsulate the work. When stretched out end to end, the book expanded easily farther than 12 feet in length – 10 Years took on the quality of a sculptural installation or objet d’art. In the end, Cattaneo Adorno’s 10 Years is less a book to be read and more an experience to be unfolded, literally and figuratively, proving that sometimes the most engaging stories are the ones that refuse to be bound by convention – or even a spine.

Full extension of ’10 Years’ © Sandra Cattaneo Adorno

Book construction detail of ’10 Years’ © Sandra Cattaneo Adorno

Book construction detail of ’10 Years’ © Sandra Cattaneo Adorno

from ’10 Years’ © Sandra Cattaneo Adorno

from ’10 Years’ © Sandra Cattaneo Adorno

from ’10 Years’ © Sandra Cattaneo Adorno

from ’10 Years’ © Sandra Cattaneo Adorno

10 Years
Artwork and text by Sandra Cattaneo Adorno
Hardcover accordion-fold with booklet
10 x 13.25 inches
176 pages / 93 images (total)
Published by Radius Books

Sandra Cattaneo Adorno (b. 1953, Rio de Janeiro) took up photography in 2013 at the age of 60 and has since gained extensive recognition for her work. Like Dora Maar, who reinvented her photography practice in her 70s, Cattaneo Adorno is drawn to experimentation and to innovative ways of printing and presenting her work.

About Cary Benbow

Photographer, Writer, Publisher of Wobneb Magazine

View all posts by Cary Benbow →

Location: Online Type: Book Review

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