Kantaya New is a Thai–Singaporean photo artist based in Singapore. Her works span
conceptual and street photography. Her street photography work focuses on overlooked,
serendipitous moments in daily life, while her conceptual work uses staged scenes and
objects to invite reflection. She is currently working on A Modern Day Affair among other
work.
Notable awards and recognition include LensCulture Critics’ Choice (Winner, 2023),
Fujifilm Moment Street Photo Awards (2nd Prize, 2024), Women Street Photographers
Artist Residency (Shortlist, 2025) and the Sony World Photography Awards (Shortlist,
2022 — Open Competition and Alpha Female Awards). Media features include
LENSCRATCH (2025).
A Modern Day Affair (2023–ongoing)
This series began at home: my husband was with me, but always on his phone. I felt the
screen had stolen my place. That feeling began A Modern Day Affair.
The work looks at how the phone reshapes our relationship. Many images are self-
portraits; others focus on small details—a cracked screen protector on a cake, or notes
on a door. Some are drawn from real moments; others are imagined, but the emotions
are real.
In a surreal and staged style, the photographs mix a myriad of emotions such as humor,
sadness, and anger to show how two people drift apart even when sitting side by side. I
am not blaming phones; rather, I am asking how often we choose screens over
connection without noticing.
The Little Prince (2021–ongoing)
This series started out as a chance meeting between me, the mural artist Yip Yew
Chong, and a little boy named Akkun. I trace crossings—between being and
performance, between child and character, between the art of one person and the dream
of another. These photographs are fleeting windows into how a child moves through
imagination—how play becomes reality, and how the ordinary becomes unforgettable. It
is both play and portrait, and I document how a child steps into the art of another person
and makes it his own.
ARTICLE:
Uncovering the hidden gems in Life through the lens of Photography
