‘The Mountain’ – a new series of photographs by Chinese photographer Tuo Yi was shot in Bole city, in the Bortala district of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region in summer 2016. This inner region of China – the country’s most populous ethnic minority region, is shrouded in complex political issues, seeing much conflict between the clashing cultures of the region’s inhabitants.
Bole city, lying some 500km to the west of the region’s capital Urumqi, is home to ethnic and national groups such as Uighurs, Mongols, Kazaks, Hui and Han Chinese alike. Life in the city revolves around the sacred and enigmatic Tianshan Mountains which stretch eastwards, enclosing the southern desert and providing a crucial water source upon which many depend.
The subjects of Yi ‘s photographs - those boys of Xinjiang, with their strong and distinct facial features, were a major factor in Yi choosing to base his project in this region. Their striking features, in a country where 90% are of Han Chinese ethnicity, can sometimes lead to alienation and isolation within their own country. While Yi’s images attempt to portray the boys in their purest form, the influence of their culture and upbringing is still apparent – profound and inescapable.
Through this project and his images of local boys Yi aims to evoke introspection, reflecting on cultural difference and preconceptions. By drawing attention to the different manifestations of his subjects’ culture, Yi questions the nature of preconceived opinions.
