Boris Becker Wustenbilder / Desert Images : Mapping Lawrence of Arabia

Following the artist’s travels to Jordan and Syria on the trail of T. E. Lawrence—better known as Lawrence of Arabia—this exploration recaptures the sites of the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire. Vivid photographs of abstract sandy deserts, imposing mountain ranges, and bizarre rock formations provide an impression of the northern Arabian peninsula’s overwhelming desert scenery. Depicting a visualization of how the “Lawrence of Arabia” myth is reflected in the landscape, this artistic confrontation with the desert resurrects a part of the Orient’s history, the consequences of which are still palpable in the Middle East today. This bilingual edition includes English and German.

Klaus Schneider is the director of the Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum in Cologne. He is the coeditor of People in Their Worlds.