Open Water

Set in contemporary South East London, "Open Water" introduces two young Black British artists – a photographer and a dancer – who meet in a pub and are drawn to each other by shared experiences. Both navigate the complexities of having attended private schools on scholarships, feeling a sense of displacement, and striving to make their mark in a city that both embraces and challenges them. Their tentative, tender connection quickly blossoms into a profound love story. However, their relationship is soon tested by external pressures, including the pervasive fear and violence that confront Black individuals in a world that often reduces them to mere bodies. The novel delves into what it means to be vulnerable when strength is expected, to seek solace in love amidst societal hostility, and the potential heartbreak when even profound connections cannot withstand these forces. It is a deeply personal and poetic exploration of race, masculinity, art, and the search for identity and belonging.