Paradise: A Book on the Journey of Edwin Koo in Pakistan’s Swat Valley

An evocative photographic journey in two volumes. Volume One is Paradise, a beautiful visual record of Edwin Koo’s travels into one of the most politically controversial places in recent history-the Swat Valley in Pakistan. An introspective journey and a personal reflection on this remote area referred to as janad (meaning paradise), this volume documents everyday life in the Swat Valley since the mass exodus of its population (more than two million inhabitants) in 2009. It is a commentary on the fragility of the natural environment and its ecology and testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of conflict and loss.
When I learned about the mass exodus of more than two million people from Swat Valley in 2009, my curiosity on this ‘janad’ piqued; leading me to investigate into the notion of paradise, says Edwin Koo. Part Two is Visage, a collection of photographs taken by Koo during his visit to Cognac, France in early 2013, where he photographed the world famous Martell cognac distillery. This volume comprises 49 beautifully shot black and white photographs detailing the process of cognac and the people dedicated to its production. A testament to their passion, it illustrates the fascinating journey from vine to distillery to bottling and completion. In 2012 Koo received an ICON de Martell Cordon Bleu in recognition of his work.