It should take pride of place on your coffee table and be readily available for all to enjoy and marvel at the magnificence of the many Karoo architectural gems displayed in the book. (Review by Keith Millar)
While the title of this impressive tome may be Hidden Karoo, the book itself should never be hidden. It should take pride of place on your coffee table and be readily available for all to enjoy and marvel at the magnificence of the many Karoo architectural gems displayed in the book.
The book is a substantial and important photographic record of the built environment of the vast arid land which dominates central South Africa.
It chronicles many of the restored and sometimes derelict historical buildings found in the towns and villages of the Karoo. It covers everything from farms, churches, public building, private homes, mansions, and military blockhouses, and all against the backdrop of the huge and awe-inspiring landscapes of the Karoo.
The creator of this book, Patricia Kramer, travelled far and wide throughout the area to research her subject material. The area covered is so vast, that for the purpose of the book it has been divided into eight separate districts, each with its own distinct character.
The photography is by Alain Proust who is regarded as one of South Africa’s foremost photographers. The standard his work in this book is exquisite and quite breathtaking. He was also responsible for the photography in the previous titles in the Hidden series which dealt with the architectural history of Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Pretoria.
The migration of people from country districts to urban areas is a common phenomenon around the world.
In the Karoo, however, there has been a movement of people returning to settle in the area. In many instances, these are the artistic and creative people who appreciate the value of the historic buildings available in the Karoo. As a result, many have been restored to serve as private residences or as venues to serve the growing Karoo tourist industry.
This offers hope that the national treasure that is the architectural heritage of the Karoo could survive the ravages of time and give great pleasure to future generations.
Hidden Karoo serves as an important record of what there is, and what there could be.
Hidden Karoo is published by Struik Lifestyle. The ISBN is 1432310042 and the recommended price is R490. – Keith Millar
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