Art Scene: Street Level

One of the things always strive for with this site is a balance between "new" and "traditional" depictions of the continent. While I greatly appreciate the typical safari images or gorgeous portraits of people from the continent's multitude of ethnic groups, I also love reflections of the streets and cities that millions of Africans call home. When these reflections are presented through illustration, it adds a new dimension of elegance and fun to one's perception of a place.

Sarah Markes, the force behind the new book Street Level and the blog Dar Sketches, allows us to see the architectural and cultural delights of a city, Dar es Salaam, which is bursting with life and energy. The book is not only a collection of illustrations of the city, but also a collaboration with writers whose produce creative writings are also included.




To find out a bit more, check out Markes' site or the blog and also this interesting interview with Markes on Afri-love!

{Photos: Sarah Markes}