Love Me Turkmenistan

Saparmurat Niyazov, President of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist
Republic of Turkmenistan, died early on 21st December 2006 in a
strange new world of his own creation.
His official title, bestowed on himself, was Turkmenbashi , or
leader of Turkmen .
Coming from a humble orphaned background, he soon worked
his way up through the Communist party, and was eventually
made President of a newly independent Turkmenistan from the
collapsing Soviet Union.
The surreal reality that followed was a twenty-year long
dictatorship, considered one of the hardest in the world, where he
gave his people free salt, electricity and gas - but also the lowest
minimum wage possible.
Even the months of the year were renamed to pay homage to
Niyazov and his family.
By 2001 all internet cafes were closed and ballet and opera
were banned, and in 2004, the state even forbade young men
from growing long hair or beards and it was prohibited for news
readers to wear make-up
LOVE ME Turkmenistan is a vivid, colourful and often very
humorous depiction of a country dominated by the dark shadow
of its ex-leader, with full-technicolour depictions of its capital, its
monuments, and its people, now released from a surreal chapter
in their country s history.
Each vivid image is accompanied by an actual quote from
Niyazov, forming a strong and often outrageous commentary.