In my pursuit of the Southern African landscape, I have been privileged to visit many remote and beautiful places. From Namibia to the Richtersveld, from the Drakensberg to the Cape, the landscape has never disappointed.

Whilst on a photographic recognisance trip to East Griqualand, I noticed a church spire peeking out through a forest.  Following an overgrown logging road, I came across the most surreal and breath taking church ruin.

The French Trappist Order built several mission stations in the Natal and Eastern Cape interior during the early 1900’s. Lourdes Mission was an ambitious and self- sustaining community situated in a remote part of East Griqualand, Eastern Cape, and consisted of a school, workshops, vegetable gardens and hospital.

After a major fire in the mid-1900’s, the mission was abandoned and left to the elements.

All that remains of the original church is the alter and the naïve artwork.

Working in colour, my aim has always been to capture that fleeting moment when the lighting is at its best. Often it is a small window of opportunity which demands instant and, often intuitive decisions regarding exposure, composition and camera placement.

This image is signed and printed on fine art archival paper with a plain white border to facilitate framing 0r it can be printed on 450GSM Fine Art canvas with pigment inks and a lightfast matte finish. A signed certificate accompanies the print. The print is part of a limited edition of 25.