Tucked away in a corner of London’s Russell square lies a small but fascinating exhibition dedicated to investigating life in South-Eastern Siberia.

The Immensity of Spirit, running at the Brunei Gallery until 9 December, showcases 24 images shot by Belarusian photographers Aliaksandr Ilyukevich and Darya Harnitskaya. They aim to draw attention to indigenous lifestyles, which include strong bonds with nature, as well as religious and spiritual beliefs.

Siberia is a vast geographical area spanning a massive 5,493,629 miles, extending east across North Asia from the Urais to the Pacific coast, and south from the Tundra regions along the Arctic Ocean margins, through the great Taiga forest to Central Asia and Mongolia.

Although its land space is larger than the United States, Alaska and Europe combined, ironically, it has fewer inhabitants than London.

Characterised by volatile seasons, Siberia’s winters last for seven months of the year, and are extremely cold, with temperatures dropping to as low as a teeth chattering -62°C, and the summers are often too short for the ice from the previous winter to melt. One image shows a magnificent mountain looking down on a lake, but only half of the imposing peak is reflected, as a dense layer of ice blocks the other half.

Another familiar sight in the Siberian landscape is the Taiga, one of the world’s largest remaining natural forests, and a major source of oxygen. Pine and Fir mingle amongst Spruce and Larch in a spectacular sea of green conifer foliage, which to this day still remains mainly unexplored.

This remote yet serene landscape is home to the Buryats, the largest ethnic minority group in Siberia, numbering 436,000, who live in the Buryat Republic. Born from Mongolian roots, Buryats live a modest existence, inhabiting simple makeshift wooden lodges known as Izbas, and their primary concerns are fishing, collecting berries and herbs, and rearing cattle.

Soyots are the other smaller ethnic group, who originated from Altai tribes. They too live an austere lifestyle, but their culture has been infiltrated by Western ideals, most notably television. On show is an image of a family who are completely dwarfed by their enormous satellite dish.

Despite this, Siberian natives are immensely spiritual as a people, and still adhere to many longstanding traditions. Trees standing in Obo or Burkhan, the lands of the descendents of Chinggis Khan, the Emperor of Mongolia, are festooned with multi-coloured ribbons, each representing a different purpose. White is to wish someone luck and a safe journey; red symbolises good health; blue for special occasions.

An important Buryat ritual is to show reverence towards the trees, in particular large or unusual species, which are said to house powerful spirits. Trees represent the centre of the world, where heaven and earth touch, and they are honoured with offerings such as coins, tobacco, food and clothing, a poignant reminder of the level of native wealth. Although what is being given up would be of no significant value to the majority of Westerners, this by no means lessens the importance of their sacrifice.

Shamanism, the ancient religion of the Mongols, also prevails in Siberia. Encompassing a combination of traditional beliefs and practices, Shamans are believed to have the ability to diagnose, cure and even cause human suffering by forming a special relationship with, or taking control over spirits.

They are also believed to be capable of controlling the weather, interpreting dreams (divination), astral projection, and to travel between upper and lower worlds.

When engaging with spirits, Shamans wear vibrant, brightly coloured costumes and headdresses, some of which are delicately embroidered with oriental designs. They play their drums and fall into a trance while listening to the hypnotic beat, then begin to whisper the names of relatives, a ceremony that represents spiritual healing and freedom from anxiety and pain. During this process, the Shamanic devotion is chanted:

“Mighty bull of the earth…Horse of the steppes! I, the mighty bull, bellow! I, the horse of the steppes, neigh! I, the man set above all other beings! I, the man most gifted of all! I, the master created by the all-powerful! Horse of the steppes, appear! Teach me! Enchanted bull of the earth, appear! Speak to me! Powerful master, command me! All of you, who will not go with me, give heed with your ears! Those whom I command not, follow me not! Approach not nearer than is permitted! Look intently! Give heed! Have a care!”

This unusual religion simply adds to the unique quality of Siberia, and its culture which has been preserved since the prehistoric times. It seems a real shame that, without exhibitions like this one, this mysterious and beautiful landscape, its inhabitants, traditions and history, would perhaps have remained unknown, forgotten, lost forever.

Where else for Siberia and Mongolia?

There are very few places in London, or indeed the UK that reflect the cultures of these places, and objects held by museums can mostly only be seen online. The Horniman Museum acquired a complete Mongolian tent some years ago for its Nomads exhibition, but this is in storage at the moment.

The British Museum holds a few items from Siberia including this model of a summer festival from Yakutia - which is not on display, but is part of their study collections.

The V&A own this astonishing Salmon skin jacket made in around 1900 in Eastern Siberia. Click here and type in 'salmon skin' to see the coat, and find out more about how it was made.