Ramadan in Yemen - new book by Max Pam

"Ramadan in Yemen" documents photographer Max Pam's travels through this amazing country in the late 1990s. Max believes the journal he kept at this time is one of his best and this journal forms the heart to the book "Ramadan in Yemen" published by Éditions Bessard in Paris. The journal is full of jottings, notes, drawings and disjointed quotes that add to its ability to transport the viewer to that moment in time. Pam's journals give an insight into his creative processes and his photographs evoke the spirit and warmth of the people of Yemen.

The book is beautifully bound and comes in an exquisite box giving weight to the idea that this is definitely a collector's item. Published as a limited edition of 1000 copies, the first 250 books will be personally numbered, embossed and signed by Max. Congratulations to Pierre and his team at Éditions Bessard on publishing such a beautiful book.

Of "Ramadan in Yemen" Max Pam said: "What could I say about Yemen that did it justice. I tried in my journal to work it honestly. I tried with 60 rolls of black and white 120 film to translate the experience. That hot, spare and beautiful Ramadan. No eating or drinking anything between sunrise and sunset. The faithful waiting for the moment. The cannon booms from the mosque in the afterglow of the day. KABOUMMM and a frenzy of quat buying, tea drinking and food eating begins in the suqs and squares and oases and towns all over the country. Everyone is happy, elated, laughing and joking sitting down together as one nation. And you know what? People always wanted me to share and be part of their Ramadan, their community, their Yemen. I travelled all over the country with them. To Shibam, Taizz, Al Mukallah, Sanaa, over the desert, by the sea and into the mountains. The shared taxis were always a half past dead Peugeot 405’s with sometimes 10 or 12 people jammed in. The 92 pages of this book give my version of that unforgettable Ramadan month. An experience freely given to me by the generosity of Yemeni people".

Email Éditions Bessard to order your copy today  contact@editionsbessard.com  

All photography by Max Pam