Doorways are passages, sometimes between spaces, sometimes through time.
When listened closely, one can almost hear the voices of the families and children that passed through these spaces. The footprints and the echoes of the lives lived reverberate through time.
The architecture of doorways tells a lot about a people. When made of stone, a doorway can represent a culture built on permanence and sophistication. In this case, a culture steeped in tradition and symbolism, a culture that lasted over 400 years. The styles, the attention to detail and the designs are windows to the practical needs of the society and the symbolism that defined it.
These doorways also represent a mystery. Who were these people and where did they go? The only truth that we know for sure is that they migrated. They left their homes, crops, doorways… Outside forces never conquered them. Disease never overran them.
This work for me is about the full, rich, colorful lives that revolved around these passages. They represent a sacred space filled with the echoes of lives lived. As I look at the images and spend time in the spaces I feel the presence of those passed.
The images are captured on a traditional film based medium and then printed on hand coated photographic emulsions. The prints are crafted using the Van Dyke process, first discovered in the early 1840’s. Each print is unique. The choice of medium reflects the hand-made nature of the film processing and printing. This historical process and the character of the images reflect the culture and peoples they echo.