Adam Zhu is a photographer and creative director based in New York City. The artist’s work captures the abject grit and visceral beauty of New York’s contemporary youth culture. Characterized by a raw, untouched effervescence, Zhu’s photographs are an accumulation of fleeting moments in time that coalesce as a love letter to the diverse neighborhood he grew up in.
Zhu was born on East 12th St. in Manhattan’s Lower East Side and is currently based in Chinatown. At 16, he bought his first point and shoot film camera and began documenting his friends in the music, skating, and graffiti scenes around Tompkins Square Park and St. Marks Place. The self-taught documentarian credits his practice to his creative social circle and mentors in his community.
In addition to photography, Zhu works in a variety of mediums including painting, collage, video, and printmaking. As part of his practice, Zhu curates group art shows, or “cultural happenings,” featuring multimedia works made by his friends. Inspired by the collaborative creative energy of his community, the artist regularly hosts dinners at galleries and spaces across New York City that bring people from different scenes together to converse and share ideas.
