In 1999, I traveled the ancient Silk Road, beginning in Xi’an and journeying west through China into the remote mountain regions of Pakistan via the Karakoram Highway. This photographic series captures moments along that route, where echoes of history and culture still shape daily life.
The Silk Road once connected China to the Middle East, crossing through Xinjiang—a vast region of deserts and mountains in northwest China. It remains home to many ethnic minority groups, including the Turkic Uyghur people. In the traditional open-air bazaars of Kashgar, I saw the living legacy of Silk Road commerce—bustling scenes where trade, language, and identity intersect. Many of the images in this series were taken there.
My visit coincided with the 50th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. I witnessed the official celebrations, including parades and public displays, which prominently featured Han Chinese participants. Notably, despite the region’s Uyghur majority, Uyghurs were largely absent from these state-orchestrated displays. The omission spoke volumes about power, representation, and identity in Xinjiang.
The journey continued along the Karakoram Highway—one of the highest paved international roads in the world—cutting through the Himalayas, Karakoram, and Pamir mountain ranges. Traveling this breathtaking route, I felt a sense of timeless passage, where ancient pathways meet modern geopolitics.
These photographs reflect not only the dramatic landscapes and human connections I encountered, but also the shifting meanings of place, power, and heritage along one of the world’s most legendary routes.
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