Photographed in India from 2000 onwards exploring belief, culture, and the vibrancy and intensity of ritual, practice and place. Transcend also seeks to depict our preparations for departure from material to ethereal.

Religion and spirituality are fundamental structures pervading many aspects of life. They influence how the day to day is lived and are potentially more imposing than the physical world we build. The power of such beliefs explored in Transcend forms a counterbalance to much of my other photographic works where structure is a physical and spatial idea made of brick, concrete, steel, and stone where life plays out between the walls. Portraying spiritual India as a pluralist and multi-faith land of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Muslim, and Christian practices is a reflection of the India I have experienced and lived in.

These images also include the 2013 Maha Kumbh Mela at Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh that happens once every 12 years. Situated at the confluence of the Ganges and the Yamuna rivers is complimented by the mythical Saraswati River to form one of the most sacred places in Hindu belief and philosophy. A pop-up megacity, the Kumbh Mela is known for its spectacular gatherings of pilgrims and congregations of saints, seers, philosophers, gurus, preachers and disciples. An estimated 80 to 100 million people visit during the festivals 6-week duration. This body of work is further expanded upon in the book Departures.