More Than Art

As cliché as it may sound, local photographer Daniel Adams’ impressive portfolio proves that pictures are worth more than a thousand words and might just be what we need for a change in perspective

- Koyyi Chin

Nandini Balakrishnan models as ‘A Woman Bound In Gold’, a collaboration project done by Daniel Adams and Abinaya Dhivya for GOFY

When it comes to Daniel Adams’ work, he doesn’t pull his punches—nor does he intend to do so. Vivid in color and full of character, every picture he’s taken isn’t without its purpose. Ever since his parents had gotten him his first camera at the age of 14, the now 24-year-old conceptual photographer makes it a point to put meaning beyond the lens, wanting to initiate much-needed conversations about topics that, in Adams’ words, “hit close to home”; creating emotionally charged images that not only shed light on social injustices that happen both at home and across international waters but shares the stories of minorities affected by long-standing discrimination and even reveals the personal journey of grieving the loss of a loved one.

One such example of his knack for storytelling was a collaborative project he’d done last year for an exhibition hosted by GOFY, a Singapore-based creative community that curated the latest of Southeast Asia’s art scene. Tasked with the theme of reinterpreting western artworks through a local perspective, he, alongside fellow artist Abinaya Dhivya, put their own spin on Gustav Klimt’s ‘Woman In Gold’, wanting “to create a discussion on the oppression faced by the Indian community in Malaysia”.

Clockwise, from Top ‘A Prayer To Colonialism’ from the ‘Why Is Your English So Good?’ series (2017); ‘Acceptance’, from ‘A Love Once Lost’ series (2019); ‘Dark Skin Is...’ (2019); ‘An Ode To Slavery’ from the ‘Why Is Your English So Good?’ series (2017); photographer Daniel Adams