Ulaanbataar

2016 – 2019

The 20 ethnic groups that live on the Steppe identify together as Mongols. As a society, they recognise that opposites are unified and complementary. Knowing that the balance of the world relies on its ability to be whole, they emphasise the high intrinsic value of every individual.

Over the last thirty years, the introduction of Western logic has blurred this value. Language such as owned and owner, consumer and consumed, and superior and inferior has influenced status and identity.

For many years, I have observed daily life in homes across Mongolia. Over extended periods and without language, our shared experiences became the foundation of our time together. As the boundaries between us faded, so did the need to protect or defend them.

Using a shallow depth of field, this work brings into focus the value of all beings amidst the blur of Western values. By puncturing the surface of what is seen, these images observe how the world both looks and functions.