IMPRESSIONS OF THE SAHARA

LE QUELLEC, JEAN-LOICBALDIZZONE, TIZIANA

Sahara. The name itself evokes a horizon of shifting dunes, a rich palette of reds and browns as diverse as the blues of the ocean. The civilizations scattered in this unforgiving landscape seem huddled against the overwhelming power of the elements, yet seen up close the architecture of these desert places is very complex, characterized by pure, abstract lines and arabesques forms that mimic the shapes and lines of the dunes. "Impressions of the Sahara" follows the caravan routes across the desert, stopping to celebrate local traditions such as the extraordinary wall paintings of the women of Mauritania, the colorful markets of the Moroccan oasis towns, and the raw earth mosques of Niger, decorated with elaborate carvings that have survived centuries of exposure to the elements. Illustrated in vibrant color throughout, "Impressions of the Sahara" is an extraordinary photographic record of the sumptuous colors of the desert and the homes of those who live there.