Fables and Other Stories, the new book by Karen Knorr, offers a unique immersion into the artist’s universe, featuring around forty photographs and fifteen tales written by Knorr herself. This work brings together recent creations alongside iconic images from her historical series, which have been rarely exhibited since the 1990s, providing a new audience with the opportunity to discover her work.
Known since the 1980s for her critical yet playful approach, Knorr has left a significant mark on British photography by incorporating themes such as postmodernism, postcolonialism, and feminism. Her early series, Belgravia and Gentlemen, questioned the social and patriarchal values of Thatcher-era England. Later, she began integrating text into her images to provoke reflection and detachment, addressing themes ranging from social class to the representation of animals in heritage sites.
In Fables and Other Tales, Knorr employs subtle collages of animals, objects, and architectural settings to challenge the authority of museums and cultural heritage. Her visual dialogue, balancing reality and fiction, invites readers to explore worlds that intertwine tradition and illusion, paving the way for a poetic reflection on authenticity and the power of the image.
Karen Knorr
Photographe
Karen Knorr, a prominent figure in contemporary photography, has distinguished herself through a critical exploration of the “politics of representation.” Born in Germany, she grew up in Puerto Rico before pursuing her studies in Paris and London, where she interacted with artists such as Olivier Richon and Mitra Tabrizian. Her photographic work, combining visual and textual strategies, addresses a wide range of themes, from family to the animal world, often within a museum context.
Through her iconic series on gentlemen’s clubs and aristocratic residences, she explores and critiques British society and its cultural traditions. As an international educator, Knorr maintains an ongoing dialogue with feminism, conceptual art, and animal studies, thus enriching contemporary photography.
