Uplift [earth science] a process by which buried rock is raised to create new landforms. Uplift exposes previously hidden layers on the surface, where they are then subject to change, forming mountains, valleys and canyons.

This series of photographs regards altered landforms once submerged deep beneath ancient oceans as a metaphor for strength acquired through the metamorphic process of transformation.

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When Neil Folberg first began working in the desert of Sinai in 1979, he joined expeditions of the Israel Geological Survey who traveled to Sinai nearly every month to do field work and research. It was on these trips with geologists that he achieved a basic understanding of the forces that shaped the rugged and naked land, exposed to the forces of weathering. Together they explored a wilderness that had barely been mapped, sometimes armed only with aerial photographs to guide them over the mountains. He began to see the geological processes and terminology as a metaphor for human development under stress.

Through the use of toned monochromatic images that reference 19th century photographic techniques, Neil has emphasized the structure and strength of rock surfaces in these prints. Subtle tints are used to create a feeling of depth and power.