Talking Books Expanded

With Talking Books, C/O Berlin regularly invites audiences to rediscover the world of photobooks. In an extended edition of the format, artists from the exhibition Close Enough present their book projects in person and offer insights into their artistic practice. Most of the works in the exhibition – all long-term, in-depth projects – have also been published as photobooks. How does a photobook differ from an exhibition? What role does the book play in their practice? And what is the future of the medium as an independent form?

To kick off the series, Bieke Depoorter and Carolyn Drake will present their book projects – followed by an open Q&A with the audience.

Bieke Depoorter has traveled to Egypt regularly since the beginning of the revolution in 2011, making intimate pictures of Egyptian families in their homes. In 2017, she revisited the country with the first draft of this book, inviting others to write comments directly onto the photographs. Contrasting views on country, religion, society, and photography arise between people who would otherwise maybe never cross paths. As It May Be depict a population in transition with integrity, commitment, and respect.

Carolyn Drake’s Men Untitled is a staged exploration of masculinity. In collaboration with her protagonists, she examines how male identity can be represented through photography. Her images intentionally disrupt documentary expectations and explore themes of power, control, and self-image – playfully, subversively, and consistently from a female perspective.

Bieke Depoorter's (b. 1986, Belgium) artistic practice is rooted in the relationships she builds with the subjects of her photographs. Accidental encounters often serve as the starting point, and the evolution of these interactions shapes her work. She has won several awards, including the Magnum Expression Award and the Larry Sultan Award. In 2023, she was nominated for the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize for her solo exhibition A Chance Encounter at C/O Berlin. 

Carolyn Drake (b.1971, USA) works on long-term photo-based projects that interrogate historical narratives and offer alternative interpretations of reality. Her work explores community and the dynamics within it, as well as the connections between people, places, and perceptions. She has received several prestigious awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship and a Fulbright Fellowship.