Launched in 2018 by publisher Maria Lago, Devaneios, a photobook by the Rio de Janeiro-born photographer Demian Jacob, was the beginning of Familia Editions. Close collaboration, careful editing and meticulous attention to materials are at the heart of Devaneios, all steered by Maria's vision for her carefully crafted books.

Devaneios is the result of deep conversations and a thoughtful collaborative process between Maria and Demian. An attentive and intuitive editor, Maria took time to explore the artist’s archive and to consider his sensibility as she brought the photographs to life in a visually striking narrative. The sound of the word Devaneios, “daydreaming” in Portuguese, feels just right next to the blurry bushes of white flowers on the cover of the book and sets the atmosphere for the book's poetic flow.

The photographs selected for the book are shot with a film camera, as Demian carefully observes and captures the moments around him, bringing the beauty of the mundane upfront. Architectural details, rays of light, surfaces, ordinary objects, textures, and found shapes are revealed. A photograph of a pile of crumpled white sheets on a mattress is paired with a shot of a dry twisted plant in a glass bottle. This juxtaposition creates a dialogue between two quite different images. Clever editing and sequencing bring to light the magic of simple ephemeral moments one often misses, and a muted colour palette ties the photographs together in a tender atmosphere.

Above all, Devaneios is a lovingly crafted object which immediately feels delicate and personal. It is executed in excellent print quality and paper, showing Maria’s deep understanding of the craft and Demian’s trust in her approach. Through its content and form, Devaneios encourages us to look closer while its sensitive visual rhythms become a lasting record of passing moments.

Olga Yatskevich, Photobook Critic and Editor