People of Marrakech


I just returned from a trip to Morocco where I was exploring, drawing, and researching for an upcoming children's book about Morocco. I met amazing people, saw amazing things, and left feeling bewildered and inspired. Most of the work I did there, I will be posting closer to the release of the book (2016!) but I couldn't resist posting a few snapshots of people in Marrakech.



 

 

For more of Evan Turk's travel illustration, check out the link below: 

Animal Kingdom


My favorite park in DisneyWorld is always Animal Kingdom. Having dreamed of going to the African Serengeti since I was little, Disney gives me a little taste of it to hold me over until I can go see the real thing. There is something about the art, the music, the landscape, the culture, and the animals of Africa that feels rhythmic, honest, and full of personality.

The sable antelope is the symbol of the Harambe Wildlife Preserve, where the safari tours take place.

Wildebeest nap in the shade, a mother elephant and her baby stroll past a baobab tree, and okapi and bongos hide amongst the leaves in the forest.

Giraffes lope gracefully along the open hills.

Hippos bob like corks in the river.

Rhinos, zebra, and ostriches dot the grasslands in a vibrating tapestry.

Deeper in the forest, the shy okapi nibble on leaves.

Brilliant yellow weaver birds flicker through the dense canopy.

Blue cichlids glow in the cool, shady riverbed.


Animation Screening with African Film Festival Inc.


 

My animation "Roots" was screened last night at Maysles Cinema in a program put together by African Film Festival Inc. and the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute as a part of their fall film series "Untold Stories From Africa & The Diaspora".

Based on the history of the African Burial Ground in Lower Manhattan, this animated short explores the ritual of coffins and burial as an unbreakable connection between the Africans brought to America as slaves and those who stayed behind in West Africa.

Very exciting to see it presented for the first time!

 


Governor's Island: African Film Festival Celebration

The whole scene looked like a quilt, pieced together with vibrant patterns and shapes all moving and flowing together in rhythm to the beat of the drum.

This past weekend I went with a few friends to a celebration for the African Film Festival on Governor's Island. I had never been out there before, but this was a great way to experience the beautiful island for the first time. There was tasty food, huge shady lawns, and a big African dance class with several groups of drummers and choreographers from different places in Africa.

 
Everyone was having a wonderful time letting loose.

The dancers' bodies were moving so fast, my hands could barely keep up.  
One beautiful woman had the face of a lioness, and danced pretty ferociously too.




"Milking the Rhino"



This is a drawing I made while watching a documentary called "Milking the Rhino" which discussed the ways in which conservation of wildlife has intersected and butted up against industry for local people.

Going to Africa to reportage is at the very top of my "bucket list", so this was a really fascinating thing for me to watch. The idea of "marketing" the wilderness, such as in National Parks, has always felt like somewhat of a double-edged sword. Obviously it's better to have them protected than open to poaching and complete destruction. But turning nature (and the people of rural Africa) into a commodity is unsettling as well, and often has the result of making it feel like a theme park. I can't pretend to know where the happy medium is, but it was interesting to see many different sides of the issue presented. I highly recommend it! (Plus it's on NetFlix instant watch!)