While studying in New York, Ma Hailun came to recognize certain similarities between Xinjiang and Brooklyn in terms of their levels of openness and cultural diversity, so she combined “Urumqi” and “Brooklyn” to draw connections between the two most important chapters in her life. Since its launch in 2021, Uruklyn has been inviting local residents of Urumqi and Kashi to join in this ongoing photography project. Recently, with the support of Aranya Art Center, the city of Yining has been added as a third location. The project has brought together participants from different ethnic groups and backgrounds, revealing the ethnic diversity and cultural fusion of urban life in Xinjiang. For this exhibition, the artist has chosen to print the photographs on fabric and hang them in space, calling to mind Xinjiang’s Etles silk and distinctly local scenes of textiles hung out to dry, creating a space with an aesthetic touch of the artist’s hometown.

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In her latest work created for the exhibition, the artist has broken through people’s preconceived notions of Xinjiang’s traditional culture, turning her lens on scenes from often-overlooked contemporary family life. Inspired by the triptych narrative style, she depicts an ordinary moment in a summer picnic. Through intricately designed settings and interactions of the characters, this blend of everyday life and fictional narrative weaves a sense of pseudo-documentary, giving the viewer an alternative perspective on Xinjiang.