Series "The land of Swahili. Kenya. Zanzibar", 2017-2025
What could be more exotic for our latitudes than Africa, with its national and cultural flavor, a mixture of cultures and customs. In 2017 and 2018, I was lucky enough to visit Kenya, where I participated in an international open-air art exhibition and an art residency. After a long flight with several connections, I finally arrived in Lamu, a city with a 1,000-year history, a unique culture, and a complex past.
Lamu is a small town on the island of the same name, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lamu is the oldest continuously inhabited town in Kenya, and it was one of the first Swahili settlements on the coast of East Africa. As a result of Lamu's location on important Arab trade routes and its close interaction with the Arab world, a large portion of the town's population is Muslim.
Here, you'll find a fascinating blend of cultures, influenced by historical factors, including Islamic culture brought by the Arabs, the enduring Swahili culture, European influences, Hinduism, and Christianity. This picturesque destination has become a vibrant melting pot, reflected in its architecture and the mindset of its inhabitants. Sometimes, it feels like you've stumbled upon a scene from an adventure movie! The sights and experiences can be so unfamiliar to our eyes that it takes some time for our minds to adjust. In 2021, I was on a creative journey to the island of Zanzibar, Tanzania. It may seem like it's only 400 km away from the Lamu Archipelago, but there are significant differences in both the cultural and visual context.
Under the first visual impression of a somewhat reportorial presentation, an emotional and spiritual experience of immersion in another culture opens up.
Yes, you fall in love with Africa at first sight, you accept it immediately or never... on the continent they say: "You don't get to Africa by chance, it calls..."
Lamu is a small town on the island of the same name, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lamu is the oldest continuously inhabited town in Kenya, and it was one of the first Swahili settlements on the coast of East Africa. As a result of Lamu's location on important Arab trade routes and its close interaction with the Arab world, a large portion of the town's population is Muslim.
Here, you'll find a fascinating blend of cultures, influenced by historical factors, including Islamic culture brought by the Arabs, the enduring Swahili culture, European influences, Hinduism, and Christianity. This picturesque destination has become a vibrant melting pot, reflected in its architecture and the mindset of its inhabitants. Sometimes, it feels like you've stumbled upon a scene from an adventure movie! The sights and experiences can be so unfamiliar to our eyes that it takes some time for our minds to adjust. In 2021, I was on a creative journey to the island of Zanzibar, Tanzania. It may seem like it's only 400 km away from the Lamu Archipelago, but there are significant differences in both the cultural and visual context.
Under the first visual impression of a somewhat reportorial presentation, an emotional and spiritual experience of immersion in another culture opens up.
Yes, you fall in love with Africa at first sight, you accept it immediately or never... on the continent they say: "You don't get to Africa by chance, it calls..."
