BROTHERS
brothers is a longterm project about the deafblind twin brothers Jörg and Rolf Fischer. They were both born deaf and lost sight during the course of their life.
I followed them with my camera for several month to capture their unique relationship.
Twins Jörg and Rolf Fischer are deeply bound to one another by their fate: they were both born deaf and gradually lost their sight during the course of their lives due to severe diabetes.
They experience the world differently from most of us and that is what makes their relationship so unique. As it is difficult for them to communicate with the world around them, they support each other in their daily lives and have developed their own language and humour.
Jörg is now completely blind. Rolf is still partially sighted and tries to support his dea lind brother as best as he can. He guides him, even though he o en does not see the way properly himself and if there is written information he reads and translates it, despite it being a great effort for him.
I followed them with my camera for several month to capture their unique relationship.
Twins Jörg and Rolf Fischer are deeply bound to one another by their fate: they were both born deaf and gradually lost their sight during the course of their lives due to severe diabetes.
They experience the world differently from most of us and that is what makes their relationship so unique. As it is difficult for them to communicate with the world around them, they support each other in their daily lives and have developed their own language and humour.
Jörg is now completely blind. Rolf is still partially sighted and tries to support his dea lind brother as best as he can. He guides him, even though he o en does not see the way properly himself and if there is written information he reads and translates it, despite it being a great effort for him.
In Germany there are about 8000 deaflind people. Many of them due to their impairment live isolated in their own world and find it difficult to build up a relationship with others. Not so Jörg and Rolf: they have rarely been apart from one another since the day of their birth. In 2012 the brothers moved to Deutsches Taubblindenwerk Fischbeck, a special facility for the deafblind and people who are visually impaired and hard of hearing.
I joined Jörg and Rolf with the camera for more than 7 month, did my best to learn their language and with the time overcame my fear of communicating with them. I lived with the brothers at the Taubblindenwerk Fischbeck and at their parents ́ house.
