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FRANÇOIS LESAGE



PROJECT
 In Between
 Place de la République (in progress)
Christians of Iraq (in progress)

SHORT STORIES
 Kashgar Disneyland
 Inside Out

Profile
When I visited in September 2019, all the historical districts had been destroyed but one. Its inhabitants had already been evicted, all accesses were walled and entry was prohibited. I climbed over the walls and walked the empty streets and abandoned houses, soon to be destroyed. A courtyard in traditional Uygur style. Inside an abandoned house. Most families were relocated in modern high rise buildings, further away from the center. On the grounds of what was destroyed, a new 'old city' was recreated. Concrete houses are covered with a skin of terracotta to mimic the ancient Uygur architecture and streets are wider to allow for quick police intervention. Entrance fee is 30 yuan. Folklorisation is used as a way to undermine the Uygur culture, while showing Han Chinese tourists that Uygurs are well-treated. The ethnic minority section in the Xinjiang regional museum in Ürümqi. One million Uygurs are believed to be detained in "re-education camps". Downtown Kashgar, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, China.