Grace in isolation. This is the central theme of Hymns to the Silence. The motivating factor is to create space around an object (isolated architectural elements) so that it can breathe and be appreciated for what it is without any distractions. These minimal, abstracted black and white photographs dwell in the zone between report and fabrication. By peeling away the layers, this work looks at what is behind reality. By seeking to transcend the subject, the subject matter becomes essentially irrelevant. These are reductive works, images that remove the superfluous and in so doing force the viewer to look inward - past the clutter of the normal world which distracts us, while allowing us to focus on the calmness or stillness that tends to evade us. What remains, finally, is awareness itself, a consciousness of visual perception itself which intensifies all desire for contemplation. The negative space of these deconstructed images is the pause between the notes, a disruption, to encourage the viewer create to his own interpretation and to enjoy the silence. This emptiness allows for potential. This is an emotional quest, a spiritual journey. Perhaps Lau Tzu said it best some 2,700 years ago: “Be still. Stillness reveals the secrets of eternity.”