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Xinjiang, China

Three Centuries of Silence.

20 photographs

One of the things that struck me most while traveling through Xinjiang was how naturally people responded to being photographed. In many places, a camera immediately changes the atmosphere. People become self-conscious, step aside, hide their faces, or begin performing for the lens. Here, I often experienced the opposite.

People were curious. They wanted to know where I came from, what I was doing, and why I had traveled so far to visit their town or village. Conversations would start easily, sometimes with a smile, sometimes with a long stare, and often with more questions than answers. Yet despite that curiosity, very few people seemed concerned about the camera itself.

As a photographer, this created a rare sense of freedom. I could observe people closely without feeling that I was changing the scene simply by being there. The result was not only more natural photographs, but also more genuine encounters. People were interested in who I was, yet completely comfortable remaining themselves.

Forest Magic

In the far north of Xinjiang, where China meets the vast frontiers of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and Russia, the landscape changes with every bend of the Kanas River. Crystal-clear water, endless forests and endless grasslands create a sense of stillness that is difficult to describe. It was one of those rare places where photographing no longer felt like documenting a landscape, but simply becoming part of it for a brief moment.

Besides nature, people also seem untouched. Untouched by commercial greed, the relentless pace of modern life, and the constant pursuit of more.

There is a quiet sincerity in the way they welcome strangers, a calmness shaped by living close to the land rather than apart from it. It reminded me that true wealth is often found not in what people own, but in the rhythm with which they live and the kindness they extend to others.

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