DYAL THAK, in Tibetan means mutual ties, connection or “a common thread”. This series was created in 2021 on the Tibetan plateau and surrounding Tibetan Autonomous Regions, which is the home to various tribes of Tibetan nomads who have lived off the land for centuries.
The series draws inspiration from the unique history, geography, and culture of Tibet. It reflects on how revolutions, modernization and economic changes have impacted the traditional way of life of the nomads, and how the region has managed to maintain a sense of harmony and optimism despite the challenges. Many of the images were created in the village of Ritoma, a tight-knit community of craftswomen, generational weavers, yarn-spinners, wool-felters, who have been using natural materials—yak khullu, to build a village-based industry and preserve their traditional way of life and culture while striving for equal opportunities with Han Chinese.
While many Eastern countries are finally catching up in economic power, the perception and prejudices towards many Asian cultures are still lagging behind because of geopolitics. From the extreme romanticization of Japanese culture to the essentialization of South Korean soft power influence, we seem to know little about the thousand-year-long histories of many Eastern societies beyond that.
Tibet, specifically, is of notable importance. As an autonomous region within China—the country merely regarded by the art/fashion industry as hyper-consumers and its juxtaposition to western society, has its own diverse ethnic demography and languages, is the largest clean water reserve to our planet, but the West only knows of this abstract place when human rights issues pop up in the news.
I want to offer a more intimate glimpse into the lives of people in small township and villages, providing a window into the complexities and richness of a society that has been marginalized and is often underrepresented in the media, giving an alternative to the traditional Western gaze and allows the audience to connect with the community, refocusing on the preservation of traditional crafts and highlighting their cultures founded on respect for nature.
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