Untitled, from the "In Between Worlds" series
Maker
Kirchner, Sophie
German, b. 1984
Date2014
MediumInkjet print
Dimensionsimage: 10 1/16 in x 8 in; mat: 17 in x 14 in; paper: 11 1/16 in x 9 7/16 in
Credit LineGift of Maxine and Lawrence K. Snider
Object number2015:85
About the ArtistSophie Kirchner’s work has long explored taboo social issues, giving voice to unrecognized and disadvantaged communities. Her series, In Between Worlds, continues in this vein, documenting the subculture and assumed identities of Live Action Role Players. Through her portraits, Kirchner questions our presumptions about normality—who, after all, determines what is normal? Why are the creative, leisurely activities of role players viewed with prejudice when we all, on occasion, seek an imaginative escape from the daily grind, whether through reading, cinema, or otherwise? Kirchner photographs individuals in the Live Action Role Player community who are willing, despite public censure, to create fantastic, epic, and profound moments for themselves and others. A German photographer based in Vancouver and Berlin, Kirchner studied at the University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg and the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, completing her degree in communication design and photography in 2012.
