Presence Beyond Time

Morning gathers in the western gate of Angkor Wat, where a single thread of incense rises toward a darkened ceiling, and the eight-armed Vishnu—Ta Reach—emerges from shadow into a slant of newborn light.  Sequined saffron cloth, garlands, and weathered sandstone combine not into sculpture, but into presence.

Pilgrims pass barefoot across the worn stone floor.  A monk lights a stick of joss and bows beneath the vaulted hush.  Here, the gods do not sleep—they listen.  The artist lingers in silence, waiting not for a perfect frame, but for communion.  When the shutter opens, it is in reverence.

Captured on medium-format black-and-white film, the image was shaped in the studio through classical chiaroscuro techniques and hours of patient hand-toning.  Each gesture on the print speaks with its own voice—depths of shadow, glints of light, a carved smile that contains both creation and dissolution.

Printed as a hand-toned archival pigment work on Hahnemühle Bamboo paper, the result is a tactile hymn—each piece signed, numbered, and offered in a strictly limited edition of 25 with 2 Artist’s Proofs.
Let this silent guardian keep watch within your calmest room.

Click here to explore the Artist’s Journal, where incense, silence, and memory continue their dialogue.

Previously titled ‘Ta Reach Vishnu, Study I, Angkor Wat Temple, Cambodia. 2020,’ this photograph has been renamed to better reflect its place in the series and its spiritual tone.  The edition, provenance, and authenticity remain unchanged.