Stray Sod
Maria Lax
Setanta Books
English
Texts by Maria Lax and Jonny Dillon
Hardcover
First Edition
120 pages
249 x 311 mm
2026
ISBN 9781915652287
“There are certain places which the fairies have power over at night and if anybody goes into them after dusk, he cannot come out until morning though he may be walking all night.”
Stray Sod investigates the phenomenon of the same name in Irish folklore: enchanted patches of earth that will lead astray whoever steps on them. Inspired by first-hand accounts found in the Irish National Archives, Maria Lax reimagines rural Irish landscapes through this otherworldly lens. The stories therein describe instances in which individuals are forced to navigate a world characterised by sudden shifts into unfamiliarity and strangeness. A world in which established reference points distort and slip away, causing great distress to those experiencing it. Stray Sod draws timely parallels between these stories and the destabilizing effects of the fast-changing political and technological environment of today.
“Many of the stray sod accounts seem to take place during periods of great change, such as a time of grieving, but can be equally seen as a metaphor for depression, addiction, shifting political landscapes or rapid technological advancements that have the power to completely upend our lives. They are stories about becoming lost; about the invisible realities that can change our lives overnight, and the unknown landscapes through which we must travel.”
(Source: https://www.setantabooks.com/collections/reportage-photography-books/products/stray-sod)
About the Artist
Maria Lax is a Finnish photographer and director based in London. Her commercial portfolio includes collaborations with leading brands such as Apple, Channel 4, Vogue Italia, Chanel, Virgin Records and Samsung. Her first directing job was one of the multi-award winning Channel 4 idents, and since then she has been nominated for Young Directors Award in Cannes 2025, and ‘Most Promising Commercial Director’ by Creative Circle Awards 2025. Her still photography credits span a number of feature films and long-form series, including the Apple Original series Disclaimer starring Cate Blanchett, and Anemone, the anticipated return to acting from Daniel Day-Lewis. Maria’s work was recently on display at The National Portrait Gallery as part of the Taylor Wessing Portrait Photo Prize, and has been exhibited in over 14 countries. Lax has published two photographic books, “Taken by the Tide’ (Nazraeli Press, 2023) and ‘Some Kind of Heavenly Fire’ (Setanta Books, 2020), both with sold out editions, and the latter with a cult following. Her third book, “Stray Sod” delving into Irish folklore is due out in April 2026.
https://marialax.com/
(Source: https://marialax.com/)
About the Publisher
Setanta Books is an online photo book publisher/bookseller. They sell rare and collectible Photography and fiction books.
https://www.setantabooks.com/
(source: https://www.setantabooks.com/pages/about-us)
