One In A Billion

Muyi Xiao first caught my eye with her urgently captivating photo collection titled “Married Young.” It’s a story about teenage parents in China. One photo shows a 16 year-old mother, gazing adoringly at the sleeping infant in her arms. Another photo caption says Jian and Mei are expecting a baby in a few months. They were 15 and 16 when they got married. I was scratching my head going…what? Why? Why so young? What about school? What’s the story here? As I kept clicking more pictures for clues, I stopped asking questions. I started seeing each photo through the eyes of these children. The camera has turned my focus to the happy faces, thin bodies and tiny bed, projecting a reality that is immediately pure and profoundly provocative. They seem to be speaking back to me through these photos, saying “I’m a mother and I am happy.” “We’re having a baby. We are going to take care of each other.” These touching images left me in awe. Who’s behind the camera? That led me to Muyi Xiao . Born in Wuhan, China, 24 year-o