Factum Kang

From the series Factum 2009

Edition of 5

Dual-channel installation: 2 hard drives

Duration: 69 minutes 10 seconds looped

This exhibition, which i only ended up going to because i was so let down by the William Eggleston (see below) and wanted to find something halfway good to see, turned out to be INCREDIBLE. spontaneity can work in my favour, as it turns out.

normally i hate video installations, and my heart initially sank when i walked through the doors of White Cube, but the pieces on show were fascinating, completely compelling and mischievously provocative from the first moment you stepped into each darkened room.

Artist Candice Breitz filmed 4 sets of twins and one set of triplets (i didn't have time to see the latter, but i'll definitely be going back) - each twin for up to seven hours. During filming, she made each twin wear the same thing, and sat them in the same position. she asked them exactly the same questions. after transcribing their answers she then edited each set of twins' narratives, running them together into a film of about an hour - but with each twin kept separate from the other: the videos of each sit side by side as in a diptych (above) with the narratives/answers of each twin inter cut. Thus the scene is set for comparing their responses and thus their personalities, mannerisms, manner of expression, from where you are able to see how they create both an individualised sense of self and a joint identity. each set of twins explore different issues through a discussion of the things which have had a profound effect on them during their lives - be it fanatical religion, marriage, tattoos, sexuality (one set of twins are both lesbians), parental bullying... they also obviously cover what it is like to be one half of a whole - one set of twins describe it as like a sexless marriage: they even took photos, for an art project, of their wedding to each other: a sort of macabre inevitable union they cannot break nor would want to. the whole thing is wholly absorbing, darwing you in with its devilishly fascinating exploration of identity and also portraiture - it's a sort of horror, but also wonder to watch. as each video is one hour i obviously only watched each one for a bit, as i imagine would most people. one could, in theory, pop in to the gallery again and again and catch different parts of the film that would illuminate both the artistic and personal story in different ways. [or, as i've just discovered, you can watch some videos via her website...]. stilll i'd definitely recommend going.