Life in itself is a miracle we witness every moment. Without life, nothing is created. With life, we begin our creation. In this colour-diminished series witnessing probably the world’s largest congregation of humans in one (sacred) place, one might find stillness in the toned-down perceptive interpretation of the human journey. They evoke strong pensive moods with dominant expressions of struggle and purpose. In the words of photographer Robert Frank who became known for his book The Americans, “There is one thing the photograph must contain, the humanity of the moment.”
These extraordinary life moments, encompassing the depth and multitude of humanity, reflect in many ways and levels, our own paths, struggles, purpose & joy.
“The day, when such a mass of pilgrims of all ages gather for a common purpose and destiny, has intrigued me for as long as I knew,” says photographer Hannes Schmid. “Driven by an enormous religious power, there was absolutely nothing that could have stopped these pilgrims from fulfilling their vows.” – Hannes Schmid, 2001
