Urban Does Not Always Mean Modern- Photo by Matjaz Krivic

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Everlasting tranquility can be felt in each one of my photographs, regardless of where it was captured.

They teach us about the reality of places that are far far away… I am interested in human race and how it is

defined by various places. I seek to tell the story of the quiet loudness on the edge of the existential,

religious, economic and geopolitical chaos. My photographs disclose an individual who is more important

than the sacred found in these places, an individual who lives within a community of people that he or she

accompanies or defies. Even when we turn our gaze away from the photograph and close our eyes, we can

still hear the story of this individual.

Urbanistan brings us a sophisticated photo essay of the primary human nature and human values, which

explores the urban environment of the developing world through photography. It explores the points

where people and communities develop and intertwine in urban humanity.

-- Matjaz Krivic

Matjaz Krivic，斯洛維尼亞攝影師，出生於1972年，多年專業從事攝影行業，由於精湛的拍攝技術和不懈的努力，

2002年被英國皇家攝影學會評為年度攝影師。他的作品以紀實居多，大多是關注貧困地區的風土人文、宗教信仰。

發達國家和發展中國家的根本區別在哪?城市和農村，如何滿足彼此需求的同時並相互糾結著。這些都是他想通過影

像表達的，因此長期奔波於世界各地，走進生活、深入生活、記錄生活。

“我的目標是捕獲氛圍，無論是山脈、河流或是教堂，哪怕只是停留在地面上的石頭，這些靜默無聲的被攝物體都傳

達著我對地球上生命的崇敬之情。通過對於自然的默思和冥想，也許我們能了解現代化使我們失去了哪些東西，”

-- Matjaz Krivic

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Hampi, India: During the traditional religious festival countless pilgrims sleep in the Virupaksha Temple.

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Varanasi, India: Following the completed religious rituals two Sadhus are peacefully sleeping on the shore of the river Ganges in Shiva’s sacred town.

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Varanasi, India: The early morning ritual on the shores of the sacred river of Ganges. Gift bearing to Shiva's lingam, hoping that the young girl will become fertile.

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Pushkar, India: Following a ritual bath the satisfied pilgrims dry their freshly washed saris on the ghats of the sacred lake.

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Varanasi, India: Young Brahmans, members of the highest Indian caste, on the shores of the sacred river of Ganges at sunrise massaging each other. Later on they will ritually bathe and clean themselve 7

Amritsar, India: A pilgrim during his ritual washing in lake Sarovar, in the centre of which stands the famous Sikh temple Hari Mandir, The golden temple. 8

Jaipur, India: Pupils during a mathematics lesson in primary school, where the classrooms are always open.

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Varanasi, India: A gym in which the local boys train and form their bodies for Kushti, a traditional Indian wrestling discipline.

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Spiti, India: Humble, dedicated Tibetan monks in the Ki monastery during the visit of his holiness Dalai Lama, their spiritual and political leader.

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Uch Sharif, Pakistan: A woman praying on a grave of her husband

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Varanasi, India: A Sadhu is reading daily news on the banks of holy river Ganges.

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Varanasi, India: The man alongside the holy Ganges is getting ready for the funeral of his relative, who will be cremated on the most sacred Hindu place. 14

Varanasi, India: A pilgrim man is meditating in a deserted palace.

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Varanasi, India: A Sadhu during his ritual puja in his Shiva Temple.

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Bundi, India: Panoramic view of the old palace of Bundi.

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Bodh Gaya, India: Beggars hurry to listen to the teaching of his holiness the Dalai Lama, where they will receive some food and money. 19

Varanasi, India: The dog feels safe and content on top of a pile of warm rubbish alongside the river Ganges.

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Varanasi, India: The boy is contently watching his herd of water buffalos that are resting on the ghats of the sacred river of Ganges.

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Shugruf, Yemen: In the early morning father and son are standing on the platform of their palace, looking at their small town awakening.

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Shugruf, Yemen: The morning mist rises mystically from the valley towards the small town in the Haraz mountains.

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Kathmandu, Nepal: A peaceful night view of Patan and the mighty Himalaya in the background. The town of Patan and the Durbar square are under Unesco protection.

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Kathmandu, Nepal: Pashupatinath Temple, one of the most important Hindu temples dedicated to Shiva.

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Djenné, Mali: A worshipper during prayers in the largest mud mosque in the world. 26

Djenné, Mali: A young boy studying Holy Koran at a medrassa school in Djenné.

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Mopti, Mali: The cattle crossing the river Niger– one of the most spectacular festivals in Western Africa, an important cultural and social event for the Fula people.

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Lalibela, Ethiopia: Kids playing on the corridors of Bet Mariam

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Dipayal Silgadhi, Nepal: Gold panning in the rivers in south-western Nepal provides survival to thousands.

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Djenné, Mali: A girl arriving at the famous Thursday market.

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Khorixas, Namibia: A shadow of a girl from the Himba tribe, who is carrying her younger brother home.

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Nouakchott, Mauritania: A large warehouse of spare parts, a kind of an engine burial yard, where the employees need merely minutes to find anything

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Djenné, Mali: Imam coming out of a great Djenné mosque.

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Lalibela, Ethiopia: Two young worshippers are reading the Old Testament during the old Christian (orthodox) celebration of Timkat. 35

St. Louis, Senegal: Fishermen bring tons of fresh fish to the markets every morning. A lot of them are processed in the vicinity of the markets.

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Bamako, Mali: Landfill in the capital, which is located in the near proximity of the river Niger, the only true water source,and only a stone’s throw away from the most prestigious hotel in town.

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Djenné, Mali: Thursday is the town’s ‘trade day’. Market is full of people 38

Jaipur, India:. The woman is cleaning the stairway of the observation tower of the large sundial the Jantar Mantar observatoriy.

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Isfahan, Iran: In the hot July afternoon the children refresh themselves in the lake on Imam’s square.

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Shugruf, Yemen: A young man is guarding the khat fields in the valley below.

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Shibam, Yemen: The boy that has leaned his rifle against the wall is praying in an old abandoned mosque in the desert, near the historical town in the Hadhramaut valley. 42

Sana’a, Yemen: The hairdresser and barber shop in the old part of one of the most spectacular towns in the world.

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Sana’a, Yemen: Historical old town of Sana’a, a Unesco World Heritage site

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Thula, Yemen: At sunset the shepherds lead their sheep and goats home.

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Shibam, Yemen: A young boy plays in a cave above the historic town

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Beni Isguen, Algeria: One of five historical towns in Gardaia Pentapolis

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Lhasa, Tibet: Monks worshipping the deities during the July full moon in the monastery pray night and day with no pauses.

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Lhasa, Tibet: A girl in front of the famous Jokhang temple is carefully filling the candles with yak oil, for they should never die out. 50

Bam, Iran: The woman mourns on the grave of her family that died in the cataclysmic 2003 earthquake. The earthquake flattened most of the town, including the legendary citadel.

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Uramantakht, Iran: A kurdish man looking towards his village during a festival of Pir Shaliar.

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Uraman Takht, Iran: Pilgrims in the Kurdish part of Iran celebrate the pre-Islamic religious holiday of Aroosi Pir Shahriar. The men are playing the Daf drums while the dervishes are reaching a trance like state through their dance.

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Ulan Bator, Mongolia: The trotter is getting ready for the horse race, one of the three disciplines on the traditional Mongolian festival of Nadam.

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Hatgal, Mongolia: Soviet truck broke down. It seemed it would never start again. However, all it took was a few strikes of a hammer and a bit of water from the experienced driver.

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Kashgar, China: Following successful sales at the cattle market the happy men are resting on their lorry.

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Lhasa, Tibet: Tibetan children are playing on a military airplane, a symbol of occupation that the Chinese authorities erected on the square opposite the Potala palace, a symbol of Tibetan

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Derge, East Tibet, China: Pilgrims prostrating on their long way to Lhasa.

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Darchen, Tibet: Tibetan children whose parents went on a pilgrimage around holy Mount Kailash in Western Tibet.

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Lamayuru, India: A Ladakh settlement in the Himalayas at sunset.

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Lhasa, Tibet: Potala Palace in a late afternoon sendstorm.

02/13/2015 王文堯 Kaohsiung Taiwan R.O.C All photos were taken from URBANISTAN, Lens Culture, Internet…etc.

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