Inspired by Judith Butler’s seminal text Gender Trouble, Austn Fischer’s Jesters Gender Game confronts the pressure to perform restrictive and narrow pre-defined gender roles. The London-based photographer’s exhibition, on display tonight at the Photobook Cafe in Shoreditch, subverts these cultural expectations of socially constructed gender binaries, revealing the possibilities and empowerment of gender in flux.

Before leaving his small hometown in Wisconsin, Fischer grew up struggling with his identity as he tried to navigate how to best appease the community’s provincial expectations. “Leaving Wisconsin and moving to London, I was interested in the new ways I saw people presenting themselves,” Fischer tells Dazed. “Being queer and only really understanding this properly after leaving America, I find it difficult to go back and be myself. I felt judged for dressing ‘feminine’ or dressing in a way other than the norm. I found it baffling that things like your clothing or hair dictate how people treat you.”

Now, he uses photography to continue to discover answers to questions he couldn’t really find at home. “The concept for the shoot is never really decided... it comes to fruition after exploring,” Fischer explains. “I’ve always been interested in gender performance and find my work reflects on the nuances of gender expression with everything I do.”

Fischer’s striking portraits refuse to explain, apologise for, or attempt to justify their non-conformity. His distinct style is reminiscent of image-makers such as Claude Cahun, Irving Penn and Robert Mapplethorpe, known for their confronting sensitive themes in the same refined, monochromatic style. Fischer says, “[I am drawn to] imagery that is simple but has a deep meaning. I haven’t found colour photography to represent the authenticity that black and white provides.”

Fischer navigates a topic that is as political as it is personal by creating caring relationships with the people in front of his camera. “I think being creative is always an experiment. I’m always playing and finding what works. I do a certain amount of planning of course, but only so much can be done beforehand,” Fischer says. “I think the main thing is creating trust between me and my subject. Often, I am using my subject to explore my ideas so trust is crucial in my practice.”

What does Fischer most hope visitors take from viewing Jesters Gender Game? “[When people see the work], I want to say just look at it and figure it out. My favourite thing about art is how it’s individual to each person and you can’t control how people react. But I hope people take away a new sense of self-understanding.”

Jesters Gender Game is on display at the Photobook Cafe in Shoreditch from 6pm until 9pm on October 13, 2023.

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