Cooper & Gorfer for HRW

Cooper & Gorfer

-In what way is ART a tool for activism?

Art helps us to understand what it means to be human. It instigates thought and enables insight, not only by challenging the mind, but also by inviting the heart – and while understanding arises from the mind, it needs the heart to motivate action. It is specifically now that the riot of art, and the values we put forward, are so utterly important.

-In what way does your chosen piece for HRW reflect 2020?

The image shows Israa Abdali, a young nurse from Sweden with Syrian heritage, who with her determination and unrelenting urge to help and act, founded the NGO Stand With Syria, delivering help to the Syrian people most in need, independent of their political background. Israa inspires us to take action and reminds us of what a single person is able to bring into the world; that every person counts and every life matters. With the world being hit by the pandemic in 2020, this work gained new relevance, as many of us were suddenly confronted with personal loss and restrictions – a burden we have to carry to help and protect not only ourselves, but our communities and society at large.

-What gives you hope?

The emerging generation of young and demanding female activists, from Israa Abdali to Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg. The growing number of female leaders and prime ministers. They are indications that unchangeable things are changing, and that the future may be created by different hands than the past.

BIO

Cooper & Gorfer comprises the artists Sarah Cooper and Nina Gorfer. Based on the stories and lives of the women they portray, the artists reimagine the tradition of portraiture by deconstructing the narrative of their protagonists. Replete with symbolism, their images speak about identity, feminism, and the environment and experiences that shape us.

With the point of departure in photography, their work moves through painstakingly detailed collages and away from classical photography. The duo’s narrative portraits are both realistic in terms of connections to human history and memories; as much as they exude surreal worlds. The complexities of their subjects are reflected in the fragmentation of Cooper & Gorfer’s surfaces, giving their works their painterly expression.

Based in Sweden, Cooper & Gorfer have worked closely together since 2006. Their work has been exhibited at Fotografiska Stockholm and New York, Hasselblad Center, The National Museum of Photography Copenhagen, among others. In 2018, Cooper & Gorfer won the German Photo Book award for their monograph I Know Not These My Hands.

CooperGorfer.com Instagram: @coopergorfer

This artwork is located in Gothenberg, Sweden. WILLAS contemporary will facilitate artwork release within 21 days after payment. Can be picked up by the buyer, or shipped at the buyer´s expense.