Over the past ten years, photographers Danny Conant and Catherine Steinmann made several journeys to Tibet intending to experience firsthand the magical quality that draws pilgrims the world over to this land of deep spirituality and immeasurable beauty. Instead, to their infinite dismay, they discovered a Tibet whose soul is gradually disappearing. The loss is pervasive—cultural, environmental, economic, religious—and seemingly inexorable.

Vanishing Tibet is about the recent changes that have befallen this captive land. A massive influx of Chinese immigrants, arriving via the newly constructed Beijing-Lhasa Railway, has quickly displaced many Tibetan city-dwellers from their very homes and jobs. The countryside has also suffered: rampant deforestation, unregulated mining, and poorly planned farming have exacted a terrible toll on Tibet’s delicate ecosystem.

Through their photographs, Conant and Steinmann seek to record this disappearing culture. Their inventive techniques not only dramatically underscore the context of the images, they also produce gorgeously nuanced works of art that pay homage to a vanishing Tibet.

Danny Conant is a Washington D.C. area fine art photographer whose work has appeared in many national publications, museums, and galleries. Her extensive travels have taken her to the Near and Far East. Twelve trips to India, Nepal, China, and Tibet have allowed her to delve further into the spirit and culture of the regions. Catherine Steinmann is French-born fine art photographer now living in New York City. Her work in the areas of architecture and portraiture has been widely published in books and magazines, and appears in museum and private collections.