Published by Steidl/Hear the World Foundation, Steinhausen. Text by Bryan Adams.
Dive into the world of conscious hearing with Hear the World, a book by musician and photographer Bryan Adams (born 1959) for the Hear the World Foundation, featuring over 120 portraits by Adams of renowned ambassadors for the foundation. Julianne Moore, The Weeknd, Bruce Springsteen, Priyanka Chopra, Jared Leto, Léa Seydoux and Lenny Kravitz—these are just some of the subjects from the worlds of film, theater, music, fashion and beyond whom Adams has photographed. The Hear the World Foundation supports children with hearing loss in low- and middle-income countries; Adams began collaborating with the foundation in 2007. With each subject striking their own distinct Hear the World pose, the publication is a collection of individuals united in their support for preserving and cherishing our ability to hear.
Six years ago photographer and musician Bryan Adams (born 1959) was approached by actress and director Trudie Styler to photograph a portrait story of homeless street vendors for the magazine The Big Issue. That story inspired a more in-depth photographic look at these people who live on the streets of London and sell the magazine. The Big Issue is a weekly publication created by professional journalists and photographers, and sold on the streets to provide the homeless with legitimate income and facilitate their reintegration into mainstream society. Today The Big Issue is published in several international editions throughout Asia and Africa. Adams’ portraits depict characters beyond social and economic circumstance, and can be seen as a continuation of his 2013 book Wounded: The Legacy of War.
During the first weeks of 2015, photographer and musician Bryan Adams (born 1959) visited the island of Mustique in the West Indies, one of that particular breed of island destinations known for its turquoise water, unspoiled sand, lush vegetation and illustrious guests. On one of the beaches, Adams noticed that the rising and receding waves of the Caribbean Sea had formed abstract patterns in the sand. Adams photographed many of these abstract formations in black and white, drawing out the resemblance between the night sky and the patterns in the sand. Adams--already well known as a singer, songwriter and producer--first became interested in photography more than 20 years ago, creating his own album covers. Over the next two decades, he quietly established himself as a working photographer, with images appearing in Harper's Bazaar, Esquire, Interview magazine and i-D. Luxuriously produced and exquisitely printed, this large-format volume shows Adams' vision of the sea, in all its unstoppable force and incredible beauty.
In his new book, Wounded: The Legacy of War, Bryan Adams presents portraits of young British soldiers who have suffered life-changing injury in Iraq and Afghanistan or during training. His lens bears witness to their scars, disability and disfigurement. This unexpected directness challenges the viewer. At the same time the images reveal the sheer grit and bravery of the victims who, despite personal sacrifice, live each day with resolute vim, vigor and dignity. What we see are staggering portraits of inspiring individuals who whilst not faltering have stood the test of war and lived to tell the tale. The images come with haunting interviews which provide a narrative to each personal journey to recovery.
In the late 1990s Bryan Adams became curious about making photographic self-portraits for his album covers, and so chose to pick up the camera himself. That serendipitous decision was the beginning of a successful photographic career, parallel to Adams' impressive achievements as a singer, songwriter and producer. Exposed is a retrospective of Adams' photography and features portraits of friends and colleagues in the entertainment, fashion and art industries, including Morrissey, Ben Kingsley, Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson, Louise Bourgeois, Lindsay Lohan and Judi Dench. This book, Adams' first comprehensive monograph, exposes not only unknown facets of his subjects but also the depth of Adams' photographic faculty.
Bryan Adams: Homeless
Bryan Adams: Untitled
Bryan Adams: Wounded
Bryan Adams: Exposed