7 dynamic images exploring vulnerability and intersecting marginalisation in middle-aged men
Nanthan (Satha Nanthan Letchumanan), a London-based conceptual fine art photographer, talks us through shots from his series Midlife Crisis: The Emotions and Bodies Without Labels
Nanthan (Satha Nanthan Letchumanan) is a London-based conceptual fine art photographer whose practice investigates masculinity, queerness, and identity through stark black and white portraiture. His acclaimed series Midlife Crisis: The Emotions has been exhibited internationally, while his ongoing project Bodies Without Labels examines resilience and the layered marginalisation experienced within LGBTQ+ communities. Originally from Malaysia, Nanthan brings a cross-cultural perspective to his work, using photography to bridge the personal and the collective. Here, he explains the inside stories behind some of his favourite photos from the aforementioned collections.
Weight of Becoming
“A man sits in stillness, caught between who he once was and who he is becoming. Sharp light etches every line across his face, marking survival, grief, and reflection. This portrait shows midlife as transformation, where the heaviness of lived experience rests on his shoulders, yet carries within it the quiet potential of becoming someone new.”
What the Silence Holds
“A hand presses gently against his throat, eyes lifted as though listening to an inner storm. Silence here is not emptiness but presence, a language shaped by restraint, tension, and survival. This intimate portrait speaks to the battles men often fight privately, without words, yet written into their very bodies as both weight and resilience.”
Reflections Unlabelled
“Before the mirror, strength and vulnerability meet in quiet collision. The reflection is not performance but confrontation, an honest encounter with selfhood beyond categories. The mirror becomes both shield and confession, rejecting simplification. This portrait affirms that queer existence is not singular but fluid, layered, and unconfined, holding space for identities that resist easy definition.”
Let the Body Speak
“The body leans back, arms open, head surrendered to the sky. No words are spoken, yet the body confesses burnout, release, and defiance. In this moment, control dissolves, and the figure allows himself to exist fully in his truth. Healing begins not with perfection or performance, but in presence, honesty, and surrender to vulnerability.”
Still Here, Still Whole
“A rainbow cap stands out boldly against a monochrome body, colour against shadow, pride against erasure. This portrait resists labels and stereotypes, insisting on visibility and resilience. It is both declaration and defiance: queer identity cannot be erased or reduced. Despite struggle and marginalisation, he remains whole, present, and unapologetically visible within the frame.”
Wingspan
“Arms stretch wide and the chest lifts skyward in a gesture that feels both fragile and powerful. It shows a man in midlife releasing the silent weight he has carried for years. Resilience here is not found in clinging to control but in the courage to surrender, to let go, and to embrace vulnerability as strength.”Arms stretch wide and the chest lifts skyward in a gesture that feels both fragile and powerful. It shows a man in midlife releasing the silent weight he has carried for years. Resilience here is not found in clinging to control but in the courage to surrender, to let go, and to embrace vulnerability as strength.”
What I Don’t Say
“Eyes drift away softly, unashamed yet vulnerable, suspended in the fragile pause before the mask of performance returns. This fleeting moment captures midlife strength not as hardness but as the courage to allow stillness, reflection, and honesty. Dignity emerges in silence, revealing that true resilience is not to remain unbroken, but to continue being seen.”
For more information, visit nanthanphotography.com, and @nanthan.photography on Instagram.