I’m honoured that Sea Level has been reviewed by Bethan Rees Walton in the latest issue of TZaffairs.
She writes, “I lived and worked in Stone Town in the 1990s and saw the Old Dispensary being painstakingly brought back to life and splendour during its restoration by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture after years of neglect. The Old Dispensary is an example of how a building can be saved but it also illustrates the richness and multi-cultural nature of Zanzibari architecture. It seems a very fitting choice for the cover of a book which has the message of conservation at its very heart.” … From the iconic waterfront view of old palaces and mansions at Mizingani, the Art Deco cinemas to the bustling markets and caravanserai – all the buildings have a story to tell. … The partial collapse of the House of Wonders on 25 December 2020 shows that even the most iconic of buildings is under threat. Sea Level is an important reminder of what can be lost and what needs to be done.”
SEA LEVEL – A PORTRAIT OF ZANZIBAR is now available! The second book in the series following ‘STREET LEVEL’, this is a unique portrait of Stone Town’s colourful streets, architecture, Unguja’s natural beauty and culture. It is also a plea for recognition of the value and importance of heritage conservation efforts. Available online with international shipping from http://www.africanbookscollective.com/books/sea-level and in Tanzania from https://mkukinanyota.com/…/sea-level-a-portrait-of…/. You can also get copies in Zanzibar from Memories in Shangani, Stone Town and from Green Market in Paje. In Dar its on sale at the Green Room at the Slipway, Make it Matter and TPH Bookshop on Samora Avenue.
Work on the Sea Level project is ebbing and flowing, slowly. Inspired today by the intense angles of Stone Town Zanzibar’s narrow streets, neck craning glimpses of balconies and skies.
dar sketches 