Kingdom of Myths

“The Yenisei is the longest river on earth, and guided me like a red thread along my journey. Its source lies in the republic of Tuva on the border with Mongolia. It meanders northward through the whole of Siberia until finally emptying into the Arctic Ocean. Following its course took me through the raw wilderness of the Siberian taiga, a kingdom rich in ancient myths and rituals. I viewed my journey as a documentation of life along the river, but also on the mythology of the region. I searched for dream-like images. It soon became clear that the river itself was not so important. On the whole I kept my eyes open for interesting characters...

I was fascinated by Valentin, by the strength with which he is attracted to nature, and his attitude towards life. I've rarely met such a positive person. If you encounter him in the forest, he sounds rather like a preacher; he's really intoxicated by nature. “Listen to how the birds are greeting us; what incredible trees; what wonderful light; and look here, animal tracks. We have to appreciate all this. We humans must live together in peace, and people must take care of the forests immediately surrounding them.” I learnt a lot about nature from him; for example, how to survive in the forest during a Siberian winter. I haven't yet tried to do so, though!

I would like to continue working on the story, and travel along the last bit that can only be reached by post boat or helicopter. Most of the people forced to resettle at the time moved to milder climates. Those who remained were primarily professional hunters. The infrastructure also collapsed along with the Soviet Union.”

You can find more pictures and the whole story in the current issue of LFI 3/2019