In 2018 I visited a friend in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We did a two day trip to Santa Fe, our highlight was a visit at the Georgia O´Keeffe Museum. Besides amazing paintings by this outstanding artist, I saw for the very first time gelatin silver prints from Alfred Stieglitz’s series “Equivalents”. I was blown away…

Still impressed by this wonderful art we went back by car to my friend´s home. During our car ride through wonderful deserted areas - I couldn´t believe my eyes – suddenly this really huge yak emerged on the right hand. I have never seen a yak before in the wild and I was deeply impressed by so much beauty.

He blew through his nostrils and scratched one´s hoofes and I was able to imagine his enormous strength. I was standing still for a longer time with my camera in my hands and started talking to him. The yak looked into my eyes and I felt that he started relaxing… Then I took this image. I think it was one of the most magical moments in my whole life.

Some weeks later back in Austria I worked in my studio. During a break I was looking out of my window. And there it was… this beautiful deer… And again I was so excited, I opened the window, I took my camera and started talking to this wonderful being. The deer returned my gaze and this was the moment when I captured the second image.

I really love the idea of this diptych, the contrast of softness and strength, but also the deep connection to our common world with all its wonderful and miraculous existences.