words about starn twins

"mark & doug starn, american artists, born new jersey 1961. indentical twins, they work collaboratively with photography and continue defying categorization, effectively combining traditionally separate disciples such as sculpture, painting, video, and installation," [http://www.starnstudio.com/career_narrative.htm].


I am focusing on the series of carbon prints that the starn twins created in 2005.

The assemblage of carbon prints of the Guan-Yin sculpture coincidentally parallel a visualization I have from my proposal for my final portfolio. The carbon prints of the Guan Yin piece are separate 18" square prints arranged 3 x 3 that collectively create a 55"x55" piece. Each of these individual pieces are crucial to the completion of the image, but the signification behind the composition of this creation is where my interest revolves around.

A controversy with Guan Yin is based on uncertainty of its origin and indefinable complexities in regard to gender identifications. The skepticism about Guan Yin's sex seems to be because this mythological being is believed ( in certain cultures) to become any form of life through supernatural powers ( for irrelevent reasons from my point which I shall not elaborate on). Accordingly, Guan Yin is an exponentially complex and multifarious being...The composition of the carbon prints are therefore appropriate, respective to the manner in which the separate square prints are displayed and arranged; there are many pieces that are neccessary in order to complete a "whole."

As far as my current intentions for the final portfolio my ideas share a similar concept. Characteristics for individual people are so unique and diverse yet dependent on the other characteristics in order to complete a person’s complete collection of mental and moral qualities; a complete, whole being. In short, the numerous features (physical, emotional, spiritual) of a human being summed together yield a single, intricate unit, similarly to Quan Yin's embodiment. And the creation to my final portfolio will be based on these foundational constructive principles; an arrangement of multiple images that are all taken separetly which collaboratively attempt to speak a "whole" person.