Circles is an award-winning photobook by Gabriela Teplická that brings together documentary photography, ritual, and material craft into a single, cohesive object. Honored with a silver Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA) prize, the book explores women’s spiritual rituals, nature-based ceremonies, and cyclical celebrations rooted in ancient traditions and contemporary lived experience.

The publication is distinguished by its special hand-crafted binding, which echoes the cyclical theme of the project itself. The exposed structure, tactile materials, and deliberate construction turn the book into more than a carrier of images. It becomes a ritual object in its own right, inviting slow viewing, touch, and contemplation. The book design and visual concept were created by designer Veronika Bošková, whose approach emphasizes materiality, symbolism, and the physical experience of the book.

The photographic narrative is accompanied by original texts that expand its cultural, curatorial, and spiritual dimensions. Matuš Zajac, curator of photography, reflects on the visual language and documentary strength of the project. Mgr. Danijela Jerotijevič, PhD., anthropologist, situates the rituals within broader historical and cultural contexts. Carolyn Hillyer, priestess, and Zuzana Slavena, priestess and ritual guide, offer embodied perspectives rooted in lived spiritual practice.

The symbolism of the cover forms a central layer of meaning. Gabriela Teplická stands within a circle that connects time, generations, and human beings. She is likened to copper: strong yet pliable, a material associated with ancient wisdom and ritual knowledge. Each photograph in the book becomes a fragment of her legacy, together weaving a narrative infused with feminine power and continuity.

The alchemical symbol of copper on the cover represents a delicate balance between opposites: strength and softness, presence and memory. For the author, copper acts as a bridge to pagan traditions of the ancestors, reminding us that all living beings are interconnected, that everything moves in cycles, and ultimately returns to its place within the circle. The copper hue flows through the book like a sacred ritual, dedicating the photographs to women as bearers of life, memory, love, and wisdom within the circles of their loved ones.

Circles stands as both an intimate visual testimony and a carefully designed art object, where photography, text, and symbolism merge into a layered reflection on femininity, ritual, and continuity.