Ever since my dad went to Kazakhstan last winter, and my friend Brandon was just transferred there for work, I've been fascinated by this country beyond what Borat has taught us. (For instance, one Kazakh champion attributes eating horse meat to his success). So the Silk Rail Road Kickstarter project instantly caught my attention as it seeks to document the trip from Astana, Kazakhstan to Beijing, China, capturing the people and stations along the way. The collaboration between Barcelona-based photographer from Kazakhstan Dimitriy Levdanski and freelance photographer based in Edinburgh and New York, Randy Lin, seeks to tell the stories of all kinds of voyagers along the journey through beautiful photography and a multimedia experience (available as e-book, softcover, hardcover & gallery prints). I love that the idea of the project stemmed from thinking about how NYC subway riders rarely talk to each other, but on the Silk Road people are happy to share their stories. Learn more and support the project on Kickstarter.{Watch above}
Click here for more on their official website and support the project on Kickstarter.{Images via Silk Rail Road on Kickstarter}
I love the concept of this project! In New York (and Paris!), we tend to ignore EVERYONE -- even if it's rush hour and you're basically hugging each other for lack of room, you pretend like they don't exist. But when I'm traveling by train or subway in other countries, sometimes I end up having the most wonderful conversations with strangers, and I wonder why we don't do this in NYC.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm so glad you posted this because one of my closest friends is from Kazakhstan, so she'll be thrilled to see this post :)
What a great idea for a project! It's so true how in more 'developed' countries people remain perfect strangers on public transport. The underground in London is no exception.
ReplyDeleteYears ago in the height of winter, a Polish friend and I took an overnight train from Krakow to Prague, which travelled through some of the most barren & frozen countryside I've ever seen. The chracters we came across on the train were brilliant. It was one of the most fascinating trips I've ever taken!
Christine, your comment makes me think about how I make up stories in my head about the swimmers in the Paris swimming pool. They're so awkward in the pools here, I wonder what their real lives are like ;) . . . Your experiences sound wonderful, and I hope your friend enjoys the link. ... Need to get this project funded!
ReplyDeleteCashmere Sunday, sounds like you've had some amazing experiences as well! There is something about train travel too that lets people slow down. I remember how friendly people were on Amtrak when I took the train from Baltimore to Savannah.
Cheers,
Anne