SANTA BARBARA, Calif., September 26, 2022—Andrew Antone will release his first book, "AFRICA," a 456-page large-format photo tome, and open a fine art photography exhibition at the Santa Barbara Zoo this Fall.
"AFRICA" celebrates the wildness and diversity of the animal kingdom—rich with prodigious detail and breathtaking vignettes of the world's most endangered animals. Traverse the waterways of the Okavango Delta, Botswana and the grasslands of Chobe National Park, Botswana following the footsteps of lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, and zebras—to name a few. Enjoy a short respite in Nairobi, Kenya to get up-close and personal with two of the largest mammals in the world—elephants and giraffes. Soar above the vast and endless savannahs of the Serengeti, Tanzania in a hot air balloon glimpsing a bird's-eye view of the great migration.
Photographed in March 2022, these one-of-a-kind photographs depict a moment in time when the world started to open up again after a global pandemic—flora and fauna have flourished in the absence of humans, once again reclaiming the land that is the lifeblood of these magnificent creatures.
A member and donor of the Santa Barbara Zoo for more than 15 years, Andrew is zealous about its conservation programs. Andrew's husband Patrick—a volunteer-turned-employee of the Santa Barbara Zoo—has been supporting its mission since the age of 12. As part of the Santa Barbara Zoo's Adventure Travel program, this expedition to Africa—originally slated for the Spring of 2020—served as the couple's honeymoon. The multi-year delay was worth the wait as it delivered an adventure wildly exceeding expectations.
"Born out of love—love for animals, love for travel, love for life—this expedition across Africa was a life-long dream come true," said Andrew Antone. "Devoid of windows, doors, or barriers—to be less than six feet away from, and look into the eyes of lions, leopards, elephants, and giraffes in their natural, unadulterated habitat—was an experience that can't be communicated in words. For that reason, I invite you on this safari as I experienced it—through the roughly 500 meticulously curated photos in this book and exhibition."
"AFRICA" will be released on October 7, 2022. Bibliophiles can pick up a copy of "AFRICA" at the Santa Barbara Zoo Gift Shop or online at andrewantone.com/africa. The exhibition opens October 7, 2022 and runs until January 31, 2023 at the Santa Barbara Zoo Discovery Pavilion. A fundraiser for the Santa Barbara Zoo, 50% of the proceeds from the limited-edition giclées directly support its conservation efforts.
Pre-order "AFRICA" today at andrewantone.com/africa.
About Andrew Antone
Andrew Antone is a creative director and designer, photographer, musician, and animal lover. His work across multiple disciplines broadly scores narratives of the beauty of the human experience. Andrew's signature style is vibrant, dramatic, and idyllic—illuminating the ballad of the lives of his subjects. Visit andrewantone.com
About the Santa Barbara Zoo
Known as one of the world's most beautiful zoos, the Santa Barbara Zoo is located on 30 acres of botanic gardens and is home to nearly 500 individual animals in open, naturalistic habitats. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), representing the highest level of animal care, and participates in AZA cooperative programs for endangered species including Masai giraffe, California condor, Island fox, and Western lowland gorilla, among others. The Santa Barbara Zoo is the region's top visitor attraction, attracting nearly 500,000 guests yearly, and has more than 13,000 members. Visit sbzoo.org