​l  i  n    v  a  n  d  e  r  v  l  i  e  t

There is a particular kind of self-awareness which both precedes and follows the process of being recorded or ‘captured’ with a camera—confusion regarding posture, placement of limbs, tilt of head, and directness of gaze. It is a type of reoccurring discomfort not unlike how I often feel to be perceived as a twin with an undeniable similarity to my sister.

 

My work seeks to reflect upon the seemingly voyeuristic act of photographic documentation by drawing visual attention to issues surrounding twinhood and identicality. Simultaneously presenting two views as one through a split-screen orientation, I intend to showcase an act of process— of recording something already in midst of being ‘captured.’ Combining visuals shot from a singular vantage point however varied in proximity, I evoke a sense of comparative scrutiny and confusion with regards to the figures portrayed. By purposefully restricting the locational space, posture, and color palette –which consists of muted blacks, whites, browns, and a punctuation of red-- this creates a feeling of relative ambiguity in relation to what is being shown. Rather than creating a casual game out of discerning twins, the work itself seeks to challenge viewers to examine the construct of individuality through portrait-like representations. In playing up expectations and cultural myths commonly associated with identical twins, I attempt to emphasize the performative artifice of display and distinction.