Photographer Jimmy Nelson travelled to Siberia to photograph an ancient tribe, the Chukotka. "The ancient Arctic Chukchi live on the peninsula of the Chukotka," Nelson wrote on his project webpage. "Unlike other native groups of Siberia, they have never been conquered by Russian troops. Their environment and traditional culture endured destruction under Soviet rule, by weapon testing and pollution.
"Due to the harsh climate and difficulty of life in the tundra, hospitality and generosity are highly prized among the Chukchi. They believe that all natural phenomena are considered to have their own spirits. Traditional lifestyle still survives but is increasingly supplemented."
Nelson's Ted Talk is "gorgeously photo-filled." His coffee-table portraits sell for up to £45,000 each, according to The Guardian, but have been criticized in the past for being "just a photographer's fantasy."
What do you think? Are the portraits glamorizing the rawness of Siberian life or are they capturing the beauty of humanity in its simplest form? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below!
