10/12/2026
Jim Metzger is an architect and photographer based in Hastings. A world traveler, he has spent years photographing the best of Hastings: its people, its celebrations, and the moments that build community. He brings that same eye to his travels abroad, capturing communities and celebrations around the world.
Jim Metzger shares his reflections on photos in the exhibit “No matter how we observe the rituals surrounding death; quiet contemplation attended by immediate family members, a public washing of the body and open-air cremation by the Pashupatinath Temple along the banks of the Bagmati River in Kathmandu, the passing of a fellow First Responder with full Department Honor Guard present to pay their last respects, ultimately we share our grief, celebration of life, honoring and mourning of the deceased on their final journey, homeward bound.
I have had the privilege to photograph this most sacred act on several occasions. I was honored to be asked to do this Mitzvah for several friends here in the states and my experience in Kathmandu was life changing.
My Nepali brother Kiran had lead me to this sacred overlook on the Bagmati river and then escorted me across the bridge to the grounds of the temple itself. I was the only one with camera equipment and the only Caucasian present. We joined a group of mourners as they carried their loved one to the funeral pyre. We stood quietly, just observing the preparations and I was able to quietly exchange “namaste” (where we acknowledge the shared universal divinity, soul, and interconnectedness in another person) with the group. The honor of being allowed to photograph this passage was conveyed by an almost imperceptible nod of the head by one of the family. “Transcendent” only begins to express what that acceptance and experience felt like.”
📷 Homeward Bound
3 Photographers–3 Lenses
Tim Lamorte•John Maggiotto•Jim Metzger
🗓️ On view thru Oct 26, 2026
📍 Hastings Village Hall Gallery, 7 Maple Ave
