Rikard Larma

 

has been a professional photojournalist since he was 20 years old, beginning his career in Sarajevo in 1974. He worked on staff at a daily sports newspaper Sport in Oslobodjenje and then for several prominent magazines in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

When war came to his hometown of Sarajevo in 1992, Rikard swiftly evolved from a general news and feature photographer to war photojournalist. He worked as staff photographer for the Associated Press, covering the Siege of Sarajevo and the war’s aftermath from 1992 to 1997.

When the war ended, he married, moved to Jerusalem and began to raise a family. He lived and worked there for six years, photographing the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. In 2003, he settled down in the United States and began working for Metro Philadelphia newspaper in 2004.

Rikard started photographing “Painting with Light” artwork in 2008 while working as staff photographer and photo editor for the daily newspaper.

 

 

Artist Statement 

 

 

Painting with light, as my favorite description of photography, has inspired me to experiment more and more.  It has inspired me to expand and reinforce this definition of photography as a leading form of modern art.

 

A unique and unpredicted image is created with every single exposure. If news or historical photography succeeds in documenting a unique moment, never to be repeated in time and space, so too does creative photography. But unlike my news photography, the content of my art photography is peaceful, non-violent and non-aggressive.   It is slow-motion exposure of color and form.  It is painting with light.

 

I applied  my creativity and experience during my news photography years when I covered sports, daily life, politics or war.  Innovative art can be relaxing, hung anywhere and viewed repeatedly as a joy.

 

I consider the value of a photograph, classical painting or sculpture as its power to engage the viewer again and again.  You can go back and discover new details and associations, be affected by the colors and forms in new ways each time you look.

 

Rikard Larma