Memories and Piety
Memories and Piety is an investigation of the link between places of worship, religious practice and memory. Repetition, memorization, chants and ancient texts, all basic motifs of most faiths, have an innate link with time and memory. This work draws attention to that link and challenges audiences to consider the implications these spaces can hold.
The photographs were made using a large-format view camera, a process which demands attention and concentrated intention. This approach facilitates a slower pace of working, compelling the photographer to spend extended time in the space.
Rejecting clichéd images of the grandiose and the architecture of the monumental, this work carefully seeks out the silent corners of temples, mosques and sanctuaries, opting instead to probe into the more subtle and intangible qualities of time, memory and consciousness that imbue these sacred spaces.
The documented scenes are intentionally devoid of people, but exhibit signs of human activity. The presence of life implied but not directly shown is used as an underlying framework to question whether these spaces are activated by a congregation or by something else entirely.
The intended viewing for the work is in the form of large-scale prints, inviting the viewer to enter the scene and occupy the space as the sole human participant.
