The Leap

In this 2001 photograph by Sam Taylor-Johnson an anonymous man is suspended mid-fall, against a backdrop of leaves. Taylor-Johnson explains that the work was informed by a desire for spiritual or physical transcendence. The man raises one arm above his head, as if administering a blessing. Both feet are parallel to the ground, creating the impression that he might be walking on air. The Leap featured in Taylor-Johnson’s solo exhibition at the Hayward Gallery in 2002.