Last night, over the happy-hour din at the Half King, the talented and ever-so-humble Carolyn Drake shared her pictures with a room packed full of photographers and attentive fans. Though Drake discussed her ongoing project on the former ’stans, the focus of the evening was her work on the Uighurs, a Muslim ethnic minority on the edges of the Taklamakan Desert in Western China. In recent years, Drake explained, millions of Han Chinese have migrated into Uighur territory, bringing an influx of infrastructure, government, and pursuit of natural resources. In images that are beautiful, subtle, and unexpected, Drake’s series, “Becoming Chinese,” documents the slow demise of the Uighur’s ancient culture.

Though the Half King may be a non-traditional space to exhibit photographs, it’s worth a visit, and you can get a burger and a pint while you’re at it. If you can’t make it before January 29th, here’s a selection, with Drake’s captions.





1 / 10 Chevron Chevron Restaurant in a Uighur oasis town between Yarkand and Hotan. Historically, the bazaars of Uighur oasis towns are what allowed the region to maintain its autonomous economy, but the Chinese effort to develop the West of the country is disrupting this system, particularly in urban areas.

Photographs by Carolyn Drake/Panos Pictures.