THE GOBI DESERT

A PLACE BEYOND TIME

THE GOBI DESERT

A PLACE BEYOND TIME

THE GOBI DESERT

A PLACE BEYOND TIME

TEN YEARS AGO, IN JUNE 2011, THE ANTHROPOGEOS PROJECT TEAM LED BY SARDAR S. SARDAROV, THE ORGANIZER OF THE EXPEDITION AND THE PERSON WHO CAME UP WITH THE IDEA, WENT TO THE VERY HEART OF ASIA—THE GOBI DESERT.

Two members of the team, Christian Gottet, a poet-photographer from Switzerland; and Dmitry Baranov, an anthropologist from St. Petersburg, were on the same trip, but perceived what they saw and heard in completely different ways. In this online experience, we have combined these two very different voices, one lyrical and the other scientific, so that you can immerse yourself into the atmosphere of the expedition.

THIS FORMAT ALSO ALLOWS YOU TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME PLACES FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. OF COURSE, AN OBJECTIVE PICTURE WILL NOT COME FROM THIS, BUT THIS IS NOT OUR INTENTION. RATHER, IT IS INTERESTING TO SEE HOW PROFESSION, EXPERIENCE AND OTHER PERSONAL FACTORS CAN SHAPE TWO VERY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES OF THE SAME PLACES AND EVENTS.

The chapters of our exhibition are some of the key ideas, concepts and structures that define the lives of the people who live in the Gobi Desert. In one way or another, we encountered them on the expedition and they prompted reflection—both visual and spoken—on the desert as a space beyond time, on life and death, and on introducing new technologies to traditional ways of life. And, of course, there is the visual element—the Gobi Desert is one of the most beautiful places on our planet.

THE EXPEDITION TOOK PLACE IN JUNE 2011 AND LASTED 21 DAYS.

The length of the route—from Ulan Ude to Abakan—is approximately 7500 km, including the Gobi Desert, which, on its own, is a distance of over 3000 km. The expedition encompasses the geographical center of Asia, located in Kyzyl. It is the farthest point on earth from the ocean.

Within a relatively small area, approximately fifteen terrestrial ecosystems coexist, including desert and semi-desert, mountain tundra, taiga, mountain forest-tundra, alpine meadows and mountain steppes. This unique region leads one to question how people managed to adapt to such different conditions.

The length of the route—from Ulan Ude to Abakan—is approximately 7500 km, including the Gobi Desert, which, on its own, is a distance of over 3000 km. The expedition encompasses the geographical center of Asia, located in Kyzyl. It is the farthest point on earth from the ocean.

Within a relatively small area, approximately fifteen terrestrial ecosystems coexist, including desert and semi-desert, mountain tundra, taiga, mountain forest-tundra, alpine meadows and mountain steppes. This unique region leads one to question how people managed to adapt to such different conditions.

HOW TO NAVIGATE

To go to the next chapter of the exhibition, please, click on the "Continue your journey" button. In the upper menu on the right, you can open the content and go to any chapter that interests you. Enjoy your reading!

PROJECT TEAM

Sardar S. Sardarov

Editor-in-chief

Alexandra Gordienko