Quick Chats: Salvador Marco

By | October 11, 2018

At last week’s Taiwan Photo Fair, I was running late. So I was just wandering around the other exhibits when I stopped to gaze at some landscapes. I had already seen some on one part of the exhibition, and I wandered over after spying them from across the room. That’s when I discovered that I’d been viewing the large format landscapes by Salvador Marco.

He quietly approached me, and struck up a conversation with me. I was quite surprised. Normally at an exhibition, I’m quite shy and tend to not want to talk to the photographers until I have a question or two; most of the time, I’m scared that they’ll approach me even though I don’t like their photography!

Nothing to fear in Salvador Marco’s case. Turns out he lives in Sanyi, Miaoli, which is more famous for its ceramic pottery than anything. He’s had a studio there for quite some time, but his interest lies in stone. He fashions the most amazing stone carvings from pieces of rock, which you have got to see for yourself. But what drew him to photography as an outlet for his artistic expression was his fascination with rock! Enjoy the video which introduces some of his earlier work.

Three pieces caught my eye: 2 of Iceland, 1 of Taiwan. All featured rock. From the volcanic mountains of Iceland to the geological formations exposed by waterfalls. Through his images, I glimpsed a passion for exposing, crafting and creating art out of humble rock.

It was fascinating to talk to him, because his love of Taiwan really shone through as did his love for his work. Both of these images highlight his work at the exhibition.