A photographer has shared a series of images depicting the ancient art of traditional Mongolian wrestling, capturing the centuries-old practice in stunning detail.
Called Bökh, the series was created by Danish photographer, Ken Hermann, in collaboration with British art director, Gem Fletcher. The images were captured in the grasslands of Inner Mongolia, an area of northern China which has a strong Mongolian population. The region is home to many nomadic communities, and the photographer was interested in capturing the art of wrestling practised by a small group of men in the area.
“When a boy is born in Inner Mongolia, his family pray for him to become a wrestler. This ancient tradition is still a key status symbol in the nomadic community and the central focus of many young men’s lives,” said Ken Hermann.
The project was created over the space of ten days, where after much negotiation, Ken built up a relationship with a coach who introduced him and his team to a group of wrestlers.
