Artist's Statement

Peikwen Cheng

After the passing of my grandmother at the young age of 100, my parents turned 70, and I turned 40 - I reflected on my past, present and future and embarked on a pilgrimage to spiritual places around the world, in search for light in a time of darkness. 

Life Before After Life traces a journey to places of spiritual significance where people may reflect on life, death and the universe - from ancient to modern civilizations, from the holiest city in Hinduism to Bedouin caves in Jordan, from the beaming memorial of 9-11 to the search for the Fountain of Youth in Shangri-La. The images were made in China, France, India, Italy, Jordan, Myanmar, United States, and Vietnam.