January has been an extremely slow month in the Chinese contemporary art scene in Beijing. Chinese New Year is on the 14th of February and so begins the mass migration. Most Chinese will travel back to their hometowns to be with their families for one to two weeks.

In the downtime I would like to introduce Shiho Fukada a well known photojournalist. During her time in China she visited Xinjiang, an autonomous region. Her photographs allow you to see their lives without obstruction as if she is merely a fly on the wall.

Although Xinjiang is a part of China, its people, the Uyghur Muslim minority, and their culture are strikingly different from the Han Chinese. Tensions have risen since the 2008 Olympics.

The Chinese government has already begun to tear down the historical city of Kashgar to rebuild it as a tourist attraction. Shiho documents this beautiful city and its inhabitants. Sooner than later, these photographs will be all that is left.

In addition to Kashgar, she has documented the Sichuan Earthquake. The moving and very powerful series can be seen on her website.

Shiho Fukada Personal Site
TIME: Tearing Down Old Kashgar
Terror Cells Found in Kashgar