“Discovering Beauty in the Ordinary” by Ar Lhao
Meet Ar Lhao, a photographer who transforms everyday objects into captivating pieces of art. His fascination with the mundane began in childhood with his father’s digital compact camera and was further influenced by a family ethos of repurposing items.
“I started as someone who likes to observe and is quite obsessed with ordinary things around me,” Ar Lhao shares. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this fascination turned into a serious pursuit. “Being confined to my room made it difficult to express my feelings,” he explains. “I began to take photography more seriously, creating sculptures and still-life compositions from everyday items.”
Ar Lhao’s work is driven by improvisation and the serendipitous discovery of objects. His creative process involves meticulously arranging each item to highlight its unique story and beauty. He believes that everyday objects, from plastic water bottles to bright red lighters, reflect our era and lifestyles. By juxtaposing these industrial items with natural elements like eggs or cherries, Ar Lhao creates visually striking compositions that invite diverse interpretations. “My work could be described as improvisational. It depends on what I come across each day,” he says.
In Ar Lhao’s work, eggs and metallic items often make appearances symbolizing the contrast between nature and modern technology, in a profound manner. “The reason I frequently photograph eggs is that I love eating eggs,” he confesses. “A single egg can create endless new compositions and presentations.” Metal objects add a modern twist, expanding the boundaries of still-life photography. Through compositions like “Strawberry on the Iron,” Ar Lhao contrasts human-made objects with natural beauty, inviting viewers to find beauty in the mundane. His work prompts us to examine the mundane unveiling of the narratives and inherent beauty within our surroundings.
