Homage : Encounters With the East

In the age of mechanical reproduction, many fail to appreciate intricate drawings made by hand, hands having become mere obsolete instruments these days, compared to the fast precision of the digital camera. Christian Peltenburg-Brechneff's drawings capture what the camera can never capture: the spirit of the places he has rendered.

Using brush, ink, and color washes, Brechneff takes on the challenge of exploring and translating architectural and spiritual wonders of the "lost" kingdoms of the Himalayas: Laddakh, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, India, Burma, Cambodia, and Laos. Brought to life through imaginative investment, Brechneff''s subjects become more mysterious and exciting than ever. They sparkle with subjective life and become rapturously alive in a way that a photograph could never be.Brechneff''s journey is a spiritual one; his intricate drawings form a visual diary of his travels. Additionally, each rendering is dated and its location named, indicating that the collection is documentary as well as personal. Brechneff decodes India''s architecture with the hope of grasping the secret of their creative dynamic. Homage is a breathtakingly beautiful spiritual quest.