Art and Identity: Candice Breitz

Candice Breitz was born in Johannesburg, 1972, and she is a professor of Fine Art at the Braunschweig University of Art since 2007. She is best known for her video works and installations. She has done couple of works revovling around identity, and how it's perceived in general, and by the people with different identities. I have chosen to share her video series titled "Factum", 2009. Since I haven't watched the video, I have copy pasted the paragraphs from the link, http://artobserved.com/2010/03/go-see-london-candice-breitz-factum-at-white-cube-hoxton-square-through-march-20-2010/ . Please bear in mind that it is the author of the respective article's perspective and interpretation.

"The exhibition, entitled “Factum” after Robert Rauschenberg’s almost identical canvases, Factum I and II, is an investigation into four twins and one triplet. Breitz has created beautifully intimate video portraits of each twin, which when coupled together in a kind of diptych, reveal the subtleties and nuances that make one individual. It is an extension of her perpetual fascination with repetition, identity and portraiture. By examining a phenomenon we wrongly presume as naturally and biologically identical we are encouraged to accept how very different twins really are...

...Throughout the series Breitz draws attention to the complex and intertwined nature of their relationships by allowing each to speak as an individual, uninhibited by the presence of their siblings, only to pair them up again as she wishes. The process evokes the reality of people’s lives especially for twins – as one is constantly negotiating various relationships, situations and impulses."


Factum Kang


Factum Tremblay


Factum McNamara


Factum Misericordia


Factum Tang

It was an interesting way to highlight the differences between people, by bringing together the people that appear and are assumed to be similar. There may be advantages of being twins, but it could also be frustrating where being different and individualism are emphasised as a way to flourish your life and career. As for the artist, being a professor may have led her to foster her fascination with people's identity.

Reference:

http://artobserved.com/2010/03/go-see-london-candice-breitz-factum-at-white-cube-hoxton-square-through-march-20-2010/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candice_Breitz

Below are some links featuring her other works:
http://qag.qld.gov.au/collection/contemporary_international_art/candice_breitz
http://www.andrewgrahamdixon.com/archive/readArticle/426
http://www.candicebreitz.net/