About

Birrer is a research based artist. Recent work confronts directly the dichotomy of modern life and earth life- across millennia, a meditation on natural earth processes.

Birrer picked up a camera and black and white film at the age of 10, by nineteen she was learning the craft and technology of the color and black and white darkroom as well as working with large format cameras.

Later, in London at the Victoria and Albert museum she was introduced to historical alternative printmaking techniques used by photography’s inventors and early proponents.

She is now engaged in exploring the ecological radicalisation of the photo process including using plant-and earth based materials with low toxicity and non-invasive modes of gathering  in exposing, developing and creating prints.

As an alternative photographer and artist, she worked originally with Kallitype, Platinum Palladium, Cyanotype, and Silver Bromide. Her favorite light gathering equipment include a wooden folding 8 x 10 inch film plate camera and 4x5 pinhole camera.

Previously, she has explored feminist and post-punk image making(England) & founded a farmer’s market cooperative as well as communitygardens  whilst working with hand made photographic emulsions and sun-printing (Ireland). 

Her personal work includes the gathering of millions of tree seeds and acorns to help secure the genetic bank of Ireland’s indigenous ancient forests. As a proponent of social change “one mind-net at a time" she has been involved with lifelong learning, facilitating courses in both photography and organic growing.

Exhibitions

2025

Linder Sterling. Danger Came Smiling

Collaborations and Documentary Images. Exhibition and catalogue. Hayward Gallery. Southbank Centre. London. February 11 - May 5, 2025.

2024

Pictures in Place. Ancient Iconographies

Gold Leaf on Vellum. Sun and Dust Gallery. Santa Fe, New Mexico. September 5 - 30, 2024.

2024

Roland S Howard

Original mural from the 1981 portrait. Roland S Howard Laneway, St Kilda VIC 3182 Aus.

2023

From Her to Eternity: the women who photograph music, Anita Lane

Museum of Contemporary Photography, Columbia College. July 7- September 18.

2020. 2019

Materiality

(with Jonah Colomo). Werby Gallery. Long Beach, CA.

2016

Performing For The Camera, 'SheShe'

The Tate Modern, London England, 2017. ISelf Collection. Self-Portrait as the Billy Goat, She She portrait, Whitechapel Gallery, London, England.

2014

My Head Is An Animal

Ultimate Form Platinum Prints. South Square  Gallery, Thornton, England.

2013

SheShe series

Collaboration Linder. Musee d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, France.

2013

SheShe series, Sordide Sentimentale

Collaboration Linder. Kestner Gesellschaft; Hanover, Germany.

2013

SheShe series, Black Macquillage series

Collaboration Linder. Blum and Poe, Los Angeles, CA.

2010

Art for Whom? SheShe series

Collaboration Linder. Tate Britain, London, England.

2002

Duileach - Elemental

Original Gold Kallitype Prints. Mill Cove Gallery, Castletownbere, CO Cork.

1998

Dhoire Mhor

Bantry Community Arts International Women’s Day Show, Co Cork, Ireland.

1994

Mhuc Mamai, FAT SITE

Installation: London Bus Stop, Cyanotype, London, England.

1991

Stric/Tures/Windows series

Kallitype and Cyanotype, Baden, Switzerland.

1989

Strict/Tures/Morrisey series

Live/Play, ICA, London, England.

1987

Narrative/10 Years of Independent Music

Live/Play, ICA, London, England.

Museum collections

2023

Fotostiftung Schweiz

Sammlung Martin Lehner. Kallitype 'The Wedding Missal, Cyanotype 'Celia' from Strict Tures.

2023

From Her to Eternity, Anita Lane

A comprehensive archival project dedicated to honoring and preserving women's contributions to the music industry. Led by Courtney Love and Juliet Panebianco. Archive of Contemporary Music, Nashville.

2014

Ultimate Form

Original edition, Eight pieces, Platinum/Palladium 8x10 contact prints. Permanent Collection. Hepworth Museum. Wakefield, England.

2010

SheShe series

Collaboration with Linder Sterling. Permanent Collection, Tate Modern Museum. London, England.

Publications and covers

2025

Linder: Danger Came Smiling

Hayward Press. Cover. Collaborations/She She/Sordid Sentimentale. Documentary photography.

2022

The Light Pours Out of Me: The Authorised Biography of John McGeoch.

Rory Sullivan Burke. Omnibus Press. Back Cover.

2022

Linderism

Edited by Amy Tobin. Kettle’s Yard, University of Cambridge & Koenig Books.

2007

Kim Gordon

Chronicles Vol. 1. Nieves Books. 

2006

Linder Sterling

Linder: Works 1976 - 2006, RP|Ringier.

1987

Harold Budd/Brian Eno

The Pearl. Opal Records.

1987

Jamie Reid

Up They Rise. The Incomplete Works of Jamie Reid. Faber and Faber.

1987

Samuel Beckett

Trilogy. Picador.

1987

Morrissey

Fake. Sounds Magazine.

1983

Ludus. Breaking the Rules

Ludus. Sordid Sentimentale.

1981

Ludus. PickPocket

Ludus. Patient. New Hormones.

1979

Beach Blvd

OC Surf Punk. Poshboy.

1976

The Complete Book of Skateboarding Copy

Laura Torbet.

Education

2020

California State University Long Beach. Long Beach, CA USA.

2007

Adult and Lifelong Learning. Mary Magdalene College. Limerick University. Limerick, Ireland.

1989

Art Center College of Design and Technology. Pasadena, CA USA.

Awards

2019

PPPP Group, the Redesign of LA5, CSULB Campus, Long Beach, CA

2019

Kinky Boots, The 2019-2020 President’s House Collection, Long Beach, CA.

Bibliography

2025

'I was always obsessed with death': how Linder turned pornography and trauma into art

Linder: Danger Came Smiling. Hayward Press. Cover. Collaborations/She She/Sordid Sentimentale. Documentary photography. Gilly Fox interview with Linder, page 67.

2020

Amy Tobin, Ed. Linderism. The Ultimate Form. Found Images. Bouden, James. The Red Period. Amy Tobin. (Feb 2020).

Ultimate Form. Art Night: Duke of York Steps, ICA: Linder. Blog. ICA. 

2019

https://archive.ica.art/whats-on/art-night-duke-york-steps-ica-linder

Bildersturm. A blog about photobooks and more.

I.Chen. A Woman With a Scalpel: Linder Sterling assembles and disassembles.

“Orgasm Addict,” a meat dress, herself. proxy music, on the visual language of music. August 4.

2018

xymusic.club/2018/08/04/linder-sterling-buzzcocks-orgasm-addict-linder/. Efi Michalarou. ART-PRESENTATION: ISelf Collection, Self-Portrait as the Billy Goat.

Dream Idea Machine Art View. http://www.dreamideamachine.com/en/?p=25504.

Elizabeth Manchester. Linder She/She.September 2008. www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/linder-she-she-p79743

Gunter Blank. Incriminating Evidence. MirandA Verlag -ISBN 3-934790-01-1 (GE,Nov-00). http://www.fromthearchives.com/ll/bibliography.html

2011

Photosenses. Mar 30, 2011 - ireland › the-kerryman-south-kerry-edition. https://www.pressreader.com/

2009

David Sheppard. On Some Faraway Beach: The Life and Times of Brian Eno.

Chicago Review Press, May 1, 2009. P 373.

Polly Gonal #Morrissey #Christina Birrer. Pinterest.

Christina Birrer | Discography & Songs | Discogs https://www.discogs.com/artist/2255941-Christina-Birrer?srsltid=AfmBOopmp3dy4mfi9Uqor97_anGOFwl2zaJ7fn9Spy7XfkuiAXmazF8z

The Pearl (album) - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pearl_(album)

James Nice. Ludus Biography. LTM Recordings, https://www.ltmrecordings.com/ludus.html.

Pickpocket Ludus. Wikipedia.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludus_(band)#Albums

Fawcett. Christina Birrer, London. Wikipedia. https://lifeofthebeatles.blogspot.com/2009/04/beatle-people-anthony-fawcett.html

Residencies and social engagement

2023

Seed to Table

Santa Fe Ext. Master Gardeners in conjunction with UNM cooperative services.

2023

Mining Time Studio

Madrid, NM.

2020

Shoshone Museum

Mohave, CA. Scanning & Documentation of Rook family photographic archive collection.

2015

Desert Discovery Center

Photography and the Desert. BLM Afterschool Program.

2011

Photography for teen-agers

Phelan Library, Phelan, CA.