In Finnish, the word pyytää, a verb coming from the noun pyynti, means ‘to request something’ or ‘to ask for help’. The same word is also used in fishing to refer to both tackle and nets and the act of fishing itself. The fish is asked, not fished or caught as in many other languages. Fishing, viewed as a give-and-take relationship in which people show respect for the natural world that sustains them, is an ancient and broadly acknowledged concept.
Pyynti, by the Finnish photographer Antti J. Leinonen, is a work on fishing as a profession and on the work of the fishers in Bothnian Bay. The images comprising the project, taken between 2014 and 2023, explore the relationship between human beings and the sea and pose questions about the exploitation of natural resources.
Book by Antti J. Leinonen
Design: Heikki Kaski
Preface: Janne Saarikivi
Paper: Fedrigoni Tatami ivory 170g
Size: 28 x 24 cm
Antti J. Leinonen
My name is Antti J. Leinonen and I have worked as a freelance photographer and videographer since 2002. My works have been published in several national medias in Finland, ranging from television, newspapers to magazines. In addition to commissioned work, a large proportion of my time is devoted to personal projects.
