Throughout her career Karen Knorr’s work has frequently employed two different elements to make one picture. Combining photographs and text in multiple bodies of work observing England’s upper classes; staging people and animals in museums; and inserting her photographs of Indian animals into sumptuous Indian interiors in images that blur the boundaries between reality and illusion.
The British publishers Stanley Barker (one of today’s most interesting photography book publishers) have previously published two of Knorr’s explorations of the British aristocracy - “Belgravia” and “Gentlemen” - and now these have been joined by “Country Life”. “Country Life” explores attitudes within the British aristocracy in 1984 in images of people, interiors, and gardens laid out according to the picturesque canons of the eighteenth century. The photographs are presented with ironic captions written in the elevated English prose of the 18th century.
Altogether the work is a timely update to the depictions of the landed gentry by Gainsborough, Reynolds, and their school.
The book can be ordered from Stanley Barker here and selections from “India Song” can be seen here. Print inquiries can be sent to the gallery at info@danzigergallery.com