SONSCAPE
(A Guide to Jump Start the Conversation that Transverse the Terrain to Manhood)
A fathers love inspired award winning artist Al Harden to use his favorite medium, photography to work with his sons. During the photo shoot Al talked with his sons about police brutality, financial responsibility, the importance of education and duties of fatherhood. He also uses SONSCAPE as a guide to speak to audiences of all ethnicities nationally, and as a reminder for his sons, nieces and nephews.
SONSCAPE is a book of Al Hardens photography with narrative that explains to his sons about the world they live in, and obstacles they may face as African American men. Truth, love and hope, SONSCAPE will inspire and enlighten you.
SONSCAPE
(A Guide to Jump Start the Conversation that Transverse the Terrain to Manhood)
Harden, Al: - Al has been making photographs since he was six, with supervision, of course. Al started with his dad's polaroid camera that required the disposable flashbulb. He was not allowed to exercise his artistic talent very often because the film and bulbs were expensive. So Al would wait until the film was handed to him, then he would shake it and hand it back to his dad for the reveal. Al Harden was born in Dayton, Ohio, where he spent his formative years on a farm, grew passionate about nature, and realized he had a penchant for photography, before moving to the city. Al reported that at times, he would move away from photography, but he would always find his way back. Although he would return, many of his photographs were destroyed in a house fire as a kid or lost and damaged from constant moving, not to mention deleted in the occasional hard drive crash. During one of Al's renewals of the craft, Professor Rick Jurus from Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, became instrumental in helping Al develop his eye and encouraged him to print and show his work. Mr. Harden started exhibiting his work in 2013. With the help and criticism of his family and friends, he has presented over forty exhibitions in five years. Al served twelve years in the Marine Corps where he enjoyed traveling and further developed his photographic prowess. After serving in the first Gulf War, he had another renewal that propelled him to create and express himself through jewelry making and photography. Al Harden received his bachelor's degree from Wilberforce University and an associate degree from Sinclair Community College. As a respite from the rigors of higher education, he enrolled in photography courses and attended workshops in cinematography, filmmaking, and 3-D animation. Al has stated, "It is exciting when an author of photographic texts that you have studied selects your work," referring to a group exhibition in California juried by Robert Hirsch, author and curator of national and international galleries and museums. Al wants to keep improving his skills and processes and looks forward to exhibiting in more shows. Currently Al is working on a photo book called My Encounters with Lord Harden and international and national exhibition proposals for Sonscape. His current body of work is done with the camera he has in his hands at the time. Al Harden resides in Southwest Ohio and works as a firefighter. He can be contacted at bluesledltd@gmail.com.
