Living History: Bound Feet Women of China is a project by Jo Farrell that documents and celebrates the lives of the last remaining women in China with bound feet.
''In the past year alone, three of the women I have been documenting have died and I feel it is now imperative to focus on recording their lives before it is too late. I have been working on this personal project for a few years, financing the project myself and through the sale of my photographs. Now is the time to reach out to get funding to complete this project. ''
Jo Farrell is a black & white documentary photographer, that specialises in capturing traditions and cultures that are dying out. Using b&w film she prints all her own silver gelatin (limited edition) prints. Her work has been exhibited in galleries in Hong Kong, London, New York, Denver, and San Francisco.
Born in London, she is currently based in Hong Kong. Jo has spent the past seven years working on a long term project of documenting some of the last remaining women in China with bound feet. Other work includes Cormorant fisherman in Yangshou, Stilt Fisherman in Sri Lanka, Ayutthaya Wats in Thailand, Angkor Wat, Hong Kong villages and abandoned buildings, Qing and Ming dynasty villages in China, life in Cuba, Tibet, Mexico and the USA.
Jo has been awarded prizes including Jacob, Riis, Centre for Fine Art Photography, Women In Photography International, Affordable Art Fair London Top Ten, Travel Writers & Photographers Award, and two Black & White Spider Awards.
Her work has been published in LENS Magazine, Creative Quarterly, The San Francisco Chronicle, 7x7 Magazine, BBC News website, LIP Magazine and Cathay Pacific's Silkroad Magazine.