Where Travel Meets Photography──On the “As Seen” Series
Two seasons have already passed since the Parisian publisher "RVB Books" and hotel group "BELMOND" (hereinafter referred to as Belmond) began publishing their collaborative project "As Seen."
This photobook series is created by dispatching artists to hotels and sleeper trains owned by Belmond around the world, with RVB Books editing and publishing works born from on-site residencies. Excluding the first release, two books have been published each season, with a total of nine titles released to date.
RVB Books × BELMOND, “As Seen” series ©︎RVB Books
Unified format and linen covers give the series a distinctive presence
Above all, the unified format and vibrant design immediately catch the eye. The linen-bound texture is pleasing, and simply looking at them brings joy, even without opening the books.
Unifying the format not only brings visual consistency to the exterior but also plays a role in drawing out the potential of the works within given constraints. It's not uncommon for creativity to flourish more under restrictions than in completely unrestricted situations. This can also be felt in, for example, the "Angle" series by the Norwegian artist-run publisher Multipress.
With variety in page count, paper quality, printing, layout, and artistic style, many fans likely look forward to seeing what kind of work each new release will become.
And last November, as usual, two new titles were published for the autumn-winter season.
Cecy Young, CASTELLO DI CASOLE
RVB Books, 2025
"CASTELLO DI CASOLE" is a photobook by Mexican photographer Cecy Young.
This book compiles works created during Young's two-week residency at Castello di Casole, located in the Tuscan countryside, as the inaugural artist invited to Belmond's photography residency program. Built in the 10th century and spanning approximately 1,300 hectares (3,200 acres) of vast land, this castle was once a seasonal retreat for film director Luchino Visconti, celebrating history, nature, and serene beauty across the ages.
Spread from the book "CASTELLO DI CASOLE"
During the residency, she wandered the grounds without a fixed plan, guided only by light, texture, and momentary sensations. Her photographs capture not narrative but "presence"—a meditation on memory, time, and the ephemeral beauty of everyday life. Through shadows falling on old chairs and morning dew resting on leaves, she gently and intuitively captures the delicate tension floating between reality and imagination.
Straightforward and recording travel as her senses led her, this work once again strongly evokes the joy of travel that is at the heart of this series.
Ángel Castellanos, COPACABANA PALACE
RVB Books, 2025
The other book, "COPACABANA PALACE", features a series photographed by Venezuelan photographer Ángel Castellanos at Rio de Janeiro's legendary hotel "Copacabana Palace."
Opened in 1923 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Brazilian independence, the hotel is known for its Art Deco architecture by architect Joseph Gire and has symbolized Rio's vitality and international appeal. From Mick Jagger to Princess Diana, countless film stars, artists, and royalty have visited, and it continues to be beloved as a symbol of Brazilian exuberance.
Long based in Rio, Castellanos collaborated with Vogue editor Sebastián Cabezas on this work, vividly portraying the history, glamour, and mythology that permeate this iconic hotel.
Spread from the bookCOPACABANA PALACE
From an editorial/curatorial perspective, what is surprising throughout this photobook series is the almost complete absence of a "commercial project" feel. Typically, this kind of initiative has strong promotional elements, and it's often transparent that artists are creating with that understanding. However, in this series, many photographs don't clearly show the hotel itself, and the books can be enjoyed as independent photobooks without knowing the background of the project.
This generosity and clear division of roles (keeping promotion outside the photobooks) have undoubtedly succeeded in conveying the hotel experience broadly, both immediately and in the long term. Above all, this series—beyond the works themselves—reminds us of the joy of travel and discovery, and the pleasure and delight of viewing and owning photobooks. That fundamental enjoyment should serve as the perfect entry point not only for photobook fans but also for readers encountering photobooks and art books for the first time.
Which volume will you begin your journey with?
Article by Yukihito Kono (4 February, 2026)
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Title: CASTELLO DI CASOLE
Artist: Cecy Young
Publisher: RVB Books, 2025
Format: Hard linen cover
Size: 168 × 240 mm
Pages: 112
Language: English
Edition: First edition
ISBN: 978-2-492175-66-4
▶︎Click here for online shopping
https://www.iack.online/products/castello-di-casole-by-cecy-young
Title: COPACABANA PALACE
Artist: Angel Castellanos
Publisher: RVB Books, 2025
Format: Hard linen cover
Size: 168 × 240 mm
Pages: 112
Language: English
Edition: First edition
ISBN: 978-2-492175-65-7
▶︎Click here for online shopping
https://www.iack.online/products/copacabana-palace-by-angel-castellanos
Other BELMOND × RVB Books titles can be found here.
https://www.iack.online/collections/as-seen-by-belmond-rvb-books