When I was 16

2 Sides
I wonder who’d look at me twice
if it wasn’t for my eyes
who’d actually try to see what lies
behind
the green grass and ice blue sky
they don’t see what I see
a whole bunch of people on top of me
all because of my eyes
mom always wished
for this
and when I turned one
it’s what she got
I guess I’m special in a way
I mean that’s what she always said
and it always stuck in my head
but I can’t help but question
what I would be
or who I’d be
or if I’d see
anything differently
of course not literally
but you’d never understand me
to you it’s not a big deal
maybe to you it’s just a pair of eyes
but maybe it is what makes me
sometimes I wonder
if the colors mean different things
if the blue on the right
means innocence in my being
or if the green
means anything
and at 16
my eyes have witnessed
so many things
pain, vanity, betrayal, happiness,
bitterness, beauty
in everything
and even when I dream
the dreams will never compare
to the beauty in life
that my eyes have seen.
-AK

Words: Abdul Kircher

No Boundaries

Smoke and Julissa are married and have been together on and off for the past few years. Through altercations between them last year, Smoke currently has a restraining order and is not supposed to be anywhere near her or their 1 year old son. A few days before I met Julissa, Smoke called her up and asked if they could meet up. I've never seen Smoke like this, scared and nervous, he didn't think that she would agree to meet after what happened between them (private information). Smoke's hopefulness was fulfilled and Julissa agreed to meet. Their love was immediately reborn and freer than ever. 

Smoke's famous quote: "I don't need no rubbers with my wife" ...
In fear of another baby on the way, they head to planet parenthood and get a pregnancy test. As Smoke and I wait in the lobby, you can see his anxiousness, he gets up walks around, grabs a cup of water, gulps it down, sits back down, shoves his head into his hands, impatiently waiting for his wife's results. Julissa walks out the door with a blank face, she doesn't tell Smoke her test result until they get outside; a big smile appears on her face and he knows exactly what that means, no. 

Photographs & Words: Abdul Kircher

This Is It

You kind of just go on day by day, not realizing that this is all going to end one day. Life flashes by you before you know it. So let's live it up. This is our night, our last night.

Photographs: Abdul Kircher

It's Me...It's Just Me.

There was this self-portraiture class at ICP and I've never photographed myself so I was like, f*ck it let me just take this class and get it over with. But then it turned into so much more than a school credit. I began to learn about myself and my body more than I ever have, and in ways that I've never seen myself. I hid my private parts from the camera; I felt like someone was watching me, but it was just me, I was alone. I had to get used to seeing myself naked and realizing that being naked is natural and beautiful. It’s much harder than documenting someone else. I just started photographing the elderly nude, and it’s like, I haven’t really photographed that many people nude so I’m still learning myself, how to be comfortable around someone when they’re naked, and you’re not.

Stay tuned for more self portraits from Abdul Kircher in the next issue of The Unlimited Magazine.

Photographs & Words: Abdul Kircher

50 here, 50 there

Photographs: Abdul Kircher

We Are Here, We Shall Never Disappear.

Photographs: Abdul Kircher

You Are My Brother, No Matter What.

I’ve known Crazy Dave (some of you may know him as Noah) for a couple of years but never exchanged many words with him. Over the weekend, I ran into him and his brother Smoke, who just got out of jail a few weeks ago. Crazy Dave and Smoke are currently homeless and are waiting to get placed in a home for the winter. Meanwhile, Smoke is fighting for visitation rights for his 1 year old son. Lonely and painful nights away from his son feeds into his alcoholism. It may seem like Smoke doesn’t deserve to see his son but when you’re on the streets day and night there isn’t much to do but smoke weed and drink your pain away. Dave’s presence keeps Smoke sane and hopeful; if it wasn’t for their brotherhood they would both be lost.

Photographs & Words: Abdul Kircher