Exhibition chronicles Silk Road trip

"The landscapes are from another world. Unlike the Pamir or Himalayan Mountains to the south, the mountain ranges in Kyrgyzstan are much gentler and wider," he said. "The valleys are enormous. And they are full of horses, yak, sheep and even camels which are herded by semi-nomadic communities who live in yurts. In places, the landscape feels untouched, like a wilderness, and it appears like a land before time. I had never experienced a place like that before."

The COVID-19 pandemic shut many galleries and art exhibits and has also restricted travel, but Wilton-Steer hopes this outdoor exhibition will give visitors some escapism, as well as provoking curiosity about lesser-known parts of the world.

"I hope that visitors feel a sense of connection between the different people and cultures that lie along this route; we share much," he said." Overall, I would like for the exhibition to be experienced as a celebration of diversity and a celebration of the positives that come from that diversity."