By having the sitters photographed from behind, ‘Denied' questions the traditional formula of the ID photograph. Intrigued by the historical development and value of portrait photography as a tool for identification in the Criminal Justice System, Denitsa seeks to explore further notions of identity in a wider socio-political context. The photographer has deliberately chosen not to show the faces of the sitters and to use their hair to signify their identity. By breaking almost every conventional rule in the process of creating an ID photograph, the project aims to open up a wider debate around the power of looking, focusing on the viewer’s individual interpretation as a means of exploring stereotypes and common prejudice.
'Each and Every' collaborative group exhibition, DECK, Singapore, 2016// Installation shots by Broy Lim
