WAY OF HARMONY - PORTRAITS FROM BHUTAN

Way of Harmony is a collection of portraits from the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan. Until the 1970’s Bhutan remained isolated from the outside world, in a self-conscious attempt to protect its national identity from the effects of globalisation.  As part of a cultural unification project the Government enforced a national dress code on the entire population and violation resulted in a week’s imprisonment or a fine. In recent years this law has softened and now national dress is only require during business hours or when visiting a government building, school, monastery or other formal institution. Many of the older generations still choose to follow it at all times, whereas most of the young Bhutanese now prefer to wear western clothing. During the late 1990’s, their fashion inspiration was taken from Bollywood and Hollywood films, but now thanks to the internet they have far greater access to East Asian popular culture, so many display South Korean and Japanese fashion and hairstyles.

In 2015 AJ Heath published his first solo photography booked entitled ‘Way of Harmony - Portraits from Bhutan’. The book collects almost 100 portraits alongside illuminating and touching conversations between AJ and his subjects, which reveal their personal quests for happiness and unique perceptions of this fascinating nation