Look Close See Far (5 Photos)

All photos © Bruce Martin. Above:Xtacumbilxunan Cave, Campeche 1994.

Bruce Martin started his project about the Maya culture titled, Look Close See Far, in 1987. Using historical documents, academic research, and current events in conjunction with a large format field camera, a tape recorder and countless hours of time in the field, Martin has created an image archive depicting a range of landscapes and attitudes in an attempt to make a distinctive portrait of this unique culture.

Martin tells us, “these cave photographs are part of a larger group of photographs on the Maya Indians and region of Central America, an area both beautiful and complex in its nature. It is a place where the delicate balance between society and the environment dominates life and challenges one’s view of reality. In the Maya Communities of Central America today, the erosion of their worldview and harmony in life is a daily struggle. With the rapid development of recent years, many contrasting and often violent viewpoints have been introduced, so that the Maya, their environment and way of life are being overwhelmed. Surviving these disruptive influences and maintaining their cultural dignity is the challenge for an uncertain future that the Maya now face.”

Dos Pilas, Guatemala 1993