Maltese artist Dan J. Mallia has received recognition from three actors associated with PlayStation’s acclaimed Ghost video-game series.
Patrick Gallagher, Leonard Wu and Feodor Chin were among those who liked a collection of Mallia’s virtual photographs inspired by Ghost of Yōtei on Instagram.
The images use the game’s landscapes, characters and cinematic presentation to create carefully composed photographs in bold shades of yellow, black and green.
While a social-media like does not represent an official endorsement, it is a meaningful acknowledgement from performers closely connected to the world portrayed in Mallia’s work.
Three familiar names from the Ghost series
Patrick Gallagher is known to players as the English-language voice of Khotun Khan, the principal antagonist in 2020’s Ghost of Tsushima.
Leonard Wu portrayed Ryuzo, an important character and secondary antagonist in the same game. He is also listed among the additional actors credited on Ghost of Yōtei.
Feodor Chin voices Lord Saito, the main antagonist of Ghost of Yōtei. The game’s official English cast also includes Erika Ishii as protagonist Atsu and several performers portraying members of the Yōtei Six.
Turning gameplay into photographic art
Virtual photography involves capturing images inside a video game using built-in camera tools, lighting controls, filters and carefully selected angles.
Rather than simply documenting gameplay, artists approach each image much like a traditional photographer would approach a real location or subject.
Mallia’s collection makes use of silhouettes, dramatic sunlight and the game’s Japanese setting to produce images that can stand independently as visual artworks.
The photographs are based on Ghost of Yōtei, a standalone story set around 300 years after Ghost of Tsushima. It follows Atsu, a mercenary travelling through Ezo in search of the six outlaws responsible for killing her family.
A welcome moment for Maltese creativity
Having the images noticed by actors who helped bring the series’ characters to life adds a personal connection between the artwork and its source material.
It also highlights how creative work produced in Malta can reach international audiences through gaming and social media.
For Mallia, the reactions represent a modest but encouraging acknowledgement from people whose performances form part of the world he photographed.
