Kenny Macleod, TWIN SISTERS, 1998.

© The Artist

TWIN SISTERS 1998

Kenny Macleod (1967 – )

Details

Dimension
4 minutes
Media
BETACAM SP VIDEO
Accession number
P7251

Summary

'Twin Sisters' was devised before 'Robbie Fraser', but made concurrently. In many ways it reflects the

lame desire on my part to confuse the issue. Not only is it unclear whether there are two characters or one which

is split down the middle, but they or slhe wear(s) contradictory indicators of sexuality, gender, race, nationality - all

those things which are meant to determine who we are, what our sensibilities are, and how we construct our own

history. But this character is incoherent in all sorts of ways: neither a whole nor merely fragments, neither a puppet

nor a human, neither serious nor absolutely frivolous. And it moves so fast you cannot pin it down!

Conceived and made very spontaneously, this is reflected in the music, the colour and the dancing, which

make reference to musical films, music-hall, and puppets such as a humpelmann whose limbs fly up when you pUll

a string between his legs. It may also fleetingly suggest more serious images of symmetrical ink-blots, and

dismembered bodies but these are marginal to the strength of the piece which, I feel, lies in its exuberance, fun and

energy.

 

Letter from the Artist 2001