Buy PRIVATE 54 [W]hat attracted me was the simplicity and basic idea in human history, when people still treated nature with awe and fear. They lived the simple and primitive life, with their very basic understanding of their environment. The simplicity originated from life itself has a powerful force, in a world where people has been desensitized by daily violence and astounding greed. The relationship between man and nature has been dominated by exploitation and revenge. In a time like this, I would like to return to the Earth, which has given birth to our bodies and soul, to worship the serenity and harmony of the land, and rediscover the innocence and beauty of humanity.
For me, this project is a personal spiritual pilgrimage. When these Tibetan herdsmen stood upon the land that nurtured them, they blended with the landscape into one organic, timeless statue. I could almost touch their soul, full of dignity, strength and generosity. Maybe this is the origin and fountain of humanity, the life force that we should cherish. This project is a collaboration between Chinese artist Ma Ke (who created all outfits) and I. All images were photographed in China’s Sichuan Province in December 2007. As a part of the core concept, we tried to avoid showing the typical Tibetan environment, cultural and religious symbols, and just focused on anonymous landscape and people.
(Mi Zhou | The Earth, PRIVATE 54 – LOST, pages 60-65)