So we are supposed to write about a recent visit to any exhibit or installation we have attended. Since Kate suggested it and since I am familiar with it, I will tell you about a video installation by Candice Breitz, that was on display at the Power Plant, called SameSame. Anyways I’ll describe my thoughts to you about this piece as best as I can,(or should. AsI was dating one of the subject’s of the piece). So I had a unique glimpse into the production of the piece as well as the finished work. I remember when Hanna replied to the Craiglist post in the spring about an artist seeking sets of twins to be a part of a big art project.
The concept was to gather many sets of identical twins and extensively interview them about their lives and experience being an identical twin, delving deep into their personal thoughts regarding very personal and intimate subjects. They all discuss their individual sense of identity now as well as what their past beliefs were. The open and relaxed feeling that seems to be allowing the subject’s to be so candid is probably due to the fact that she kept the crew and herself out of sight as much as possible so that the only thing the interviewee saw usually was the camera. She interviewed each person individually for about five hours and she herself even hid behind a blanket while asking questions so as to not influence the interview more than minimally.
She gets each of them to open up about their experience being a twin and having to carve out their own place in their families first before learning to portray a uniqueness to the world at large. It is interesting to consider how people always first just see two identical people without thinking about how much all identical twins struggle to have their own sense of individuality. The answers from the three sets of twins that made it into this showing of the work were so revealing and enlightening.
Of course I had my own attachment to the work but no matter how many times I saw, it was always interesting and engaging. The last time I saw it we brought my parents along to see it. That was interesting to say the least to walk in just as she was describing the first time she ever got fingered by a boy, but everyone was so moved by the end, and it’s not like she was being gross. She was just being honest and expressing herself openly. That was pretty funny though, our timing, but it was really a cool day.
Also as a side note, if you did happen to miss the show, you will have another chance eventually. On opening night it was announced that the show had been purchased by the AGO, so you will get to see this work from this very unique artist from South Africa.
