National Treasure, 2012, Documentary photography from the Drung Series, Drung Valley, Yunnan Province, Southwestern China
Fine art Portrait Photography, Limited Edition of 5 + 2 Artist's Proof 8X12" // 20X30cm Fine Art Photography Prints. Digital Photography printed on fine art museum quality paper Hahnemühle Photo Rag Ultra Smooth Mat 305 g / m2, which is 100% cotton and acid-free.
Located at the foothills of the Himalaya mountains on the border of Northern Myanmar and Northwestern Yunnan province in Southwestern China, the Drung Valley is one of the wildest and most remote valley's in China. This region has been classified by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve as well as a World Heritage Site, and is home to a rich biosphere, rare indigenous species of plants and animals. The Drung minority has a total population of approximately 6000 individuals. Drung women born before 1949 have their entire face tattooed. I was told by my host that this practice, which was banned by Mao ZeDong in 1949, aimed to protect women from other tribes. There were 18 of these women still alive when I visited the mountain village in 2012. They are considered national treasures by the Chinese government. A road was built to access the valley in 1998, and until the building of a new highway in 2014, the valley was closed off for part of the year during the winter season. During my travels to the Drung valley in 2012, I was told by my host that about 50 foreigners a year had travelled to the valley since 2009.