Second Wind
Luis Martin Harder

Instead of mouthing a jaded “been there, done that,” Luis Martin Harder knows that there were things he didn’t see and that he left undiscovered. Combining his being an explorer and a perfectionist, this has served him well in the creation of his second exhibition collection aptly titled, “Second Wind.” To be held at the newly opened GalerieOne on December 4, Harder’s new images present fresh, exciting new perspectives of old, familiar places that might just elicit a “why didn’t I see that when I was there” or two from fellow photographers or photography lovers.

“I always have the feeling that I didn’t get enough whenever it’s time for me to leave a

 

place, ” Harder shares. “In fact, the more that I return to a place, the more I see what I missed during the previous trips.” Take it from a seasoned travel photographer who’s shot on location around Asia as well as the Philippines. “Perhaps it’s also my character to get to bottom of things or stretch things to their limits before I can say I’m done or satisfied. However, this doesn’t apply to any particular place, because there is always something in a place that can be discovered, like a mystery, during every visit.”

For “Second Wind,” Harder heads back to Cambodia, where he has been shooting since 2007. On this return trip, he captures Phnom Kulen, Ton Le Sap, and the Pool of Elephants, hunting for subjects without any particular concept in mind but knowing a great shot when he sees it. “I always believe that the subjects are there; it’s just a matter of perceiving before seeing the subject. Therefore, the images in this show are mostly things or scenarios that people tend to ignore, just because they were thought to be ordinary or common.”

Harder also points his lenses toward Singapore, where he by-passes such photographer’s favorites as the Merlion or views from the Flyer, for a couple of bicycles casually parked against a post on a sidewalk. This was also where he shot “Kaya Natin `to, pre,” his personal favorite from this exhibit, which he says he stumbled upon almost by accident on Arab Street. Back on his home turf, Harder revisits Coron, Palawan.

Harder has definitely taken his own brand of “finding and framing stories in his surroundings” to a whole new level of wit and technical virtuosity. Armed with mentoring from the likes of Rosscapili and Gunther Diechmann, his images have found their way to prestigious photography collections such as the Next Models Photo Workshop, the Timeless series, and the 2009 Philippine International Visual Arts Fest (PIVAF) of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). His exhibition credits also include shows at Eastwood City and the SM Mall of Asia, and his first solo exhibit at the OneWorkshop Gallery. (Jill Arwen Posadas)


 
“Second Wind” by Luis Martin Harder runs until December 19, 2009 at GalerieOne, Ground Floor 1101 MTR Building, Don Chino Roces Ave., Makati City. Gallery hours are from 10am to 7pm daily except Sundays. For inquiries, call or fax 8978964, e-mail inquiry@owg.cc

 

 
 
 
 

Past Exhibition