laura el-tantawy

• Self 2019
  
• Hardback, 1st edition
  
• New
  

'A Star in the Sea is an overture for embracing the unexpected. The photographs, text & title pertain to three independent, personal life events: A love story; my first & only trip to my place of birth in the UK & a vision on a beach in Italy. It is inspired by a desire to redefine my relationship with the ideals of success & happiness. In this context, A Star in the Sea is an opportunity to celebrate imperfection — an artistic gesture to have faith in the Universe.'

- Laura El-Tantawy


The book is conceived as an artistic object demanding intimacy — something you want to protect & treat with care. Each book comes in a custom handmade Batik pouch made by the artist in collaboration with her mother.

Signed & numbered edition of 150 copies.

• Self-published 2021
• Hardback, 2nd edition
• New

January 25th, 2021 marks 10-years since the spark of the Tahrir Square protests that unseated former Egyptian President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak. On this occasion, I am releasing a newly edited & redesigned version of In the Shadow of the Pyramids. This release engages the original photographs in a new framework — upholding the historical prominence of the imagery while meditating on the paling memory of the revolution. 

In the Shadow of the Pyramids 2.0 is not a book I anticipated making.
It was born out of a sense of responsibility to honour my role of bearing witness to, and visually chronicling, one of the most important chapters in modern Egyptian history. This is coupled with a fervent necessity on my part as an Egyptian to conserve the memory of those life altering events and ensure they remain alive in our conscientiousness as Egyptians and compassionate world citizens. 

The 10-year anniversary edition stays true to the size and material architecture of its older sibling. However, reflecting the traces of time, its inside pages have undergone a radical transformation. In the Shadow of the Pyramids 2.0 tells a story reminiscent of the impact the past 10 years have had on the narrative around the revolution and the emotional toll this imposes on the reading of the imagery.

Edition of 500 copies. Hardcover with debossed title on front & back
Printed on uncoated paper / 449 pages with 101 fold outs.

In stock now.


Book images courtesy of Anke van der Schaaf / FopmaWier boekbinderij

• Self-published 2023
• Hardback, 1st edition
• New

Pang’Ono Pang’Ono explores the emotional and physical toll on women in Malawi in their quest to access clean water. The title — Pang’Ono Pang’Ono or little by little — is borrowed from a colloquial Chichewa expression referencing time and urging patience — used here to metaphorically reflect on the sentiment around water. With a population of nearly 21 million people, Malawi is one of the smallest and least-developed countries in Africa. Although the country has an abundance of water — with around 24,404 square kilometres flowing through its fertile land, including Lake Malawi, the third-largest freshwater lake on the continent — providing clean water to every single citizen is a national problem. One in three people live without it. Considered a domestic chore, the responsibility of securing water falls predominantly on the shoulders of women. The series was produced over a period of 10 days working on commission with WaterAid in Malawi.

Edition of 500 signed and numbered copies.