contemporary art duo
coopergorfer.com
Cooper & Gorfer is a contemporary art duo consisting of Sarah Cooper (born 1974, United States/Sweden) and Nina Gorfer (born 1979, Austria). They are known for their innovative approach to portraiture, merging photography with techniques from painting, textile art, collage, and video. Over nearly two decades, their work has redefined visual storytelling, exploring themes of identity and emotional truth through tactile, multimedia compositions.
Their artistic practice often incorporates fragments of images, textures, and stories to create layered narratives. Initially experimenting with collage as metaphor, their work has evolved into intricate visual compositions that delve into both personal and collective themes.
Cooper & Gorfer, over nearly two decades, have intricately explored layers of female identity through hybrid portraits that blend photography, painting, embroidery, and video installation. Their work delves into themes of memory and dislocation, crafting richly layered compositions that transcend a single photographic moment. With photography as a starting point, their process transforms each image—at times beyond recognition. The use of collage in their practice becomes a metaphor, capturing the fragmented way layered illusions reveal complex emotional truths.
Each piece emerges as a visual deconstruction of the female narrative, interweaving personal histories with collective experience. Through mixed-media collages and video installations, HYSTERIA reflects Cooper & Gorfer’s broader artistic exploration of the shifting nature of identity and the protective layers we construct as emotional armor.
Their work has been exhibited internationally at institutions including Fotografiska, the Hasselblad Center, and the New Orleans Museum of Art. Their pieces are held in several significant collections, including the Hunter Museum of American Art, the National Gallery of the Faroe Islands, and the Nuuk Art Museum. The duo has published several award-winning books, including Between These Folded Walls, Utopia (2nd Prize, International Photography Awards, 2022; Swedish Book Art Award, 2021) and I Know Not These My Hands (German Photo Book Prize, 2018). Their film Between These Folded Walls, Utopia received an Honorary Mention at the Tempo Documentary Film Festival in 2021. Cooper & Gorfer are represented by Larsen Warner in Stockholm and Jackson Fine Art in Atlanta. They are based in Sweden.
Their artistic practice often incorporates fragments of images, textures, and stories to create layered narratives. Initially experimenting with collage as metaphor, their work has evolved into intricate visual compositions that delve into both personal and collective themes.
Cooper & Gorfer, over nearly two decades, have intricately explored layers of female identity through hybrid portraits that blend photography, painting, embroidery, and video installation. Their work delves into themes of memory and dislocation, crafting richly layered compositions that transcend a single photographic moment. With photography as a starting point, their process transforms each image—at times beyond recognition. The use of collage in their practice becomes a metaphor, capturing the fragmented way layered illusions reveal complex emotional truths.
Each piece emerges as a visual deconstruction of the female narrative, interweaving personal histories with collective experience. Through mixed-media collages and video installations, HYSTERIA reflects Cooper & Gorfer’s broader artistic exploration of the shifting nature of identity and the protective layers we construct as emotional armor.
Their work has been exhibited internationally at institutions including Fotografiska, the Hasselblad Center, and the New Orleans Museum of Art. Their pieces are held in several significant collections, including the Hunter Museum of American Art, the National Gallery of the Faroe Islands, and the Nuuk Art Museum. The duo has published several award-winning books, including Between These Folded Walls, Utopia (2nd Prize, International Photography Awards, 2022; Swedish Book Art Award, 2021) and I Know Not These My Hands (German Photo Book Prize, 2018). Their film Between These Folded Walls, Utopia received an Honorary Mention at the Tempo Documentary Film Festival in 2021. Cooper & Gorfer are represented by Larsen Warner in Stockholm and Jackson Fine Art in Atlanta. They are based in Sweden.
