• Front cover of The Pillar by Stephen Gill with text and words by Karl Ove Knausgård, cloth hardcover in red and beige
  • The Pillar by Stephen Gill with open book showing essay page, cloth-bound hardcover edition
  • Signed title page of The Pillar by Stephen Gill, with printed title and author’s handwritten signature
  • Black and white photograph of a bird perched on a post, close-up detail, from The Pillar by Stephen Gill
  • Black and white landscape photograph with bird in flight over fields, from The Pillar by Stephen Gill
  • Color photograph of a bird perched on a fence post in a snowy field, from The Pillar by Stephen Gill
  • Black and white photograph of a bird sitting on a post in tall grass fields, from The Pillar by Stephen Gill
  • Color photograph of a small bird with red chest perched on a post in a green field, from The Pillar by
  • Black and white double-page spread of hawks perched and spreading wings on posts, from The Pillar by Stephen Gill
  • Color photograph of a hawk standing on a fence post in open countryside, from The Pillar by Stephen Gill
  • Double-page spread with two black and white photographs of a bird grooming and spreading wings, from The Pillar by Stephen Gill
  • Endpaper of The Pillar by Stephen Gill, abstract black ink tree ring and bark patterns on beige background
  • Color photograph of a hawk perched on a fence post in the countryside, shown in The Pillar by Stephen Gill, hands with gloves holding pages
  • Triple black and white photo sequence of a bird preening, wings folded and open, from The Pillar by Stephen Gill
  • Open spread from The Pillar by Stephen Gill, black and white photograph of a bird taking flight over a rural landscape
  • Close-up of book spine corner of The Pillar by Stephen Gill, red cloth binding with visible wear and fraying
  • Detail of top corner of The Pillar by Stephen Gill, red cloth hardcover with slight edge wear
  • Bottom spine corner of The Pillar by Stephen Gill, red cloth cover showing frayed edges
  • Close-up of upper spine of The Pillar by Stephen Gill, cloth binding with minor scuff marks
  • Back cover of Stephen Gill’s photobook The Pillar, cloth-bound in light blue and red
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Nobody Books

The Pillar

The Pillar (signed copy) – Stephen Gill

Stephen Gill
€80,00
€80,00
Sale Sold out Signed With defects Used
incl. VAT, free shipping, Delivery Time: 2-4 days*

Low stock: 1 left

A unique glimpse into bird life in southern Sweden—captured through a simple wooden pillar across the changing seasons.

Hardcover, 21.6 x 27.0 cm, 1.408 kg , 224 pages
English View full details

Description

About the Book

The Pillar is a meditative and mesmerizing photobook by Stephen Gill, created over four years in the quiet, open landscapes of Skåne, southern Sweden. In the middle of a seemingly empty field, the artist installed a slender wooden post—just six centimetres wide and one and a half metres tall—and mounted a motion-sensor camera to face it. The result is a sublime and almost mystical series of photographs that capture birds visiting this unexpected stage: perching, feeding, resting, flying, or simply pausing mid-motion.

Far from being merely observational, these images open a portal into a hidden world—one that exists all around us but often escapes our notice. Each photo reveals a unique, ephemeral moment: a bird caught in flight with wings spread like calligraphic lines, a beak caught in the wind, feathers soaking in rain or glistening in snowlight. Gill’s fixed frame becomes a theatre for endless variation, proving that even within the most minimal setup, nature’s choreography is never the same twice.

The work resonates with deep existential overtones—echoed and explored in a poetic essay by acclaimed writer Karl Ove Knausgård, included in a separate 12-page booklet. He reflects on how these fleeting encounters transform a repetitive, seasonal landscape into a space of singularity and wonder.

Winner of multiple international photobook prizes—including Les Rencontres d’Arles, PHotoESPAÑA, and Svensk bokkonst—The Pillar is a luminous example of conceptual nature photography. Signed by the artist and crafted with exceptional attention to bookmaking materials, it is a rare and thoughtful collector’s item.

Note: This is a used copy. The cloth cover shows some light wear at the edges (see photos). Inside, the book is in good condition.

Hardcover, 21.6 x 27.0 cm, 1.408 kg, 224 pages, English
ISBN: 9789198523300

About the Author

Stephen Gill (b. 1971, Bristol) is one of Britain’s most acclaimed conceptual photographers. His works often arise from long-term observations of specific places—transforming mundane environments into portals of visual poetry. He founded Nobody Books, his own publishing imprint, through which he releases artistically autonomous books printed to the highest standards. In The Pillar, his earlier fascination with urban birds re-emerges in rural Sweden, where he now lives.

GPSR

Publisher / Manufacturer: Nobody Books
Country of origin: Sweden
Website: https://www.nobodybooks.com

Email: stephen@stephengill.co.uk
Address:
Stephen Gill AB
Stenängavägen 132
271 75 Glemmingebro
Sweden