-- Artist statement
The northern Kenya has been undergoing major changes. First, the region is negatively affected by the global climate change, now facing the worst drought in decades and a possibility of famine. Pastoralism is a primary source of livelihood in the region, but the lack of food and water has been a significant challenge for the population over the past few years. In addition, the region's Lake Turkana, the largest desert lake in the world, and its surrounding communities are witnessing new trends. For instance, due to the blooming fishing industry, a majority of the Daasanach, who used to be a pastoralist tribe, have been converted to fishermen, while an increasing number of Somali-tribe businessmen are rushing into the region. The illegal fish trade is also threatening the lake’s unique ecology. Lastly, indigenous communities in the region have been receiving an influx of foreign nationals since the Kakuma refugee camp was established 1992. With 237,081 refugees and asylum-seekers currently registered in the camp (according to UNHCR), the host community, the Turkana tribe, has been interacting with them for commercial exchanges on a daily basis, which sometimes lead to conflicts.
Since 2014, noticing the influence of environmental, social and economic changes in the region, the photographer has sought to capture the people’s daily life and resilience to these changes by immersing himself in the life of the indigenous communities, including by walking 700 km from Nakuru to Turkana with his camel and a Samburu herder. New technologies have changed the way we understand and present, but the truth remains an important part of the photographer's work. Personal experiences, especially the loss of eyesight, have also inspired the photographer to present his work in a unique way, acknowledging that everyone has their own interpretation of reality.
"Northern frontier" is the translation of the Chinese term "境北." The concept of "梦现," which appears in the translation of Zhuangzi's Dreams Arguments, refers to the relationship between reality and dreams.
Lin Qi is a Chinese photographer based in Nairobi, Kenya. Born and raised in a city in China. Lin studied aerospace engineering at Northwestern Polytechnical University(西北工业大学) before joining AVIC International as a project manager. While working in Kenya on a vocational education project, Lin developed a passion for photography, eventually leading him to pursue it as a career. Today, Lin is dedicated to telling compelling stories through his long-term personal projects, connecting viewers with people from around the world.
