Paris Photo 2024 Emergence Sector Booth H07
Paris Photo 2024
Emergence Sector Booth H07
Madé van Krimpen presents
‘Ki Ki So So,’ by Xiaoxiao Xu
“In ‘Ki Ki So So,’ I explore how Ladakh’s Tibetan Buddhist community and various ethnic groups are adapting to rapid environmental and social changes since the 1962 Sino-Indian War. I wanted to weave together Ladakh’s rich traditions with the contemporary challenges they face, especially in light of globalization and climate impacts on the people and their landscapes. This project captures both the disappearing beauty of the glaciers and the strength behind innovative solutions like the IceStupa project, which aims to combat water shortages against the backdrop of a changing Himalayan region.
The work also highlights the communities sustaining Ladakh, from seasonal laborers to children in Tibetan refugee schools. Through these lenses, I hope to portray the strength and spirit of Ladakhi people. Despite increasing hardships, their harmony with nature shows a deep wisdom and adaptability, reflecting resilience and care even in the face of adversity.”
Xiaoxiao Xu (1984, CN), born in Qingtian, China, moved to the Netherlands as a teenager. This cultural shift broadened her perspective, a theme evident in her photography, which sits between documentary and independent work. Her dual lens as both insider and outsider has led to recent recognition: her book ‘Shooting the Tiger’ was named one of the Best Dutch Book Designs, and ‘Aeronautics in the Backyard’ was selected as a top photo book by de Volkskrant and The Guardian. Her seventh book, This Looks Better IRL: Exploring Cosplay Cons, is set for release in autumn 2024 through The Eriskay Connection.
Graduated cum laude from the Photo Academy Amsterdam in 2009. Recent exhibitions include Photographic Geomancy at Times Museum in Guangzhou, China; Can’t We All Just Get Along? at Stevenson Gallery; and VIEW at Madé van Krimpen, both in Amsterdam (2024). In 2023, work was shown in The Best Dutch Book Designs at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and Life Along the Long Wall at Fotomuseum The Hague. Best Photography Book Award at PHotoESPAÑA in Spain, and Photobooks at the Grassi Museum of Applied Arts, Leipzig (2021). Earlier, exhibited at Figures de l’envol at Centre Photographique, Rouen, France (2018–2017).
View the catalogue here.
