Stuart Franklin is probably best associated with one of those iconic images of the 20th Century - the figure in front of a tank in the midst of the Tiananmen Square riots. He later became the President of Magnum Photography. However, he has recently produced a body of work under the title 'Hotel Afrique'. The set takes a look at the ostentatious presence of many luxury hotels throughout sub-Saharan Africa. I have just visited one of his documented hotels - The Shereaton Hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A slum was razed to the floor for its construction. Despite such stories, Ethiopia is doing remarkably well for itself. It has one of the highest growth rates in Africa and its income distrubution is one of the most egalitarian in the world. These statistics do not however reduce the austerity of the Shereaton's presence. It remains an island in a sea of underdevelopment. When my friend and I were there, just after Christmas, we were very tempted to raze the ginger bread house in the lobby to the ground, in a similar manner to way the very hotel was constructed. It was possibly the largest ginger bread house on the African contintent. The floor was very slippy.h
The series does not stop with the Shereaton in Addis though, it spans sub-Saharan Africa, documenting the Intercontinentals and Hiltons of the region. Be sure to take a look.
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