I’ve now been through my fair share of museums and art galleries here in London, however, the National Portrait Gallery certainly had the highest number of intriguing faces. I love a good portrait. I believe that a persons face, particularly their eyes, can tell so much in a painting. Many of them fight my eye, but a portrait called False Positive, False Negative Jane and Louise Wilson certainly made me stand and stare the longest. Two faces belonging to a set of twins, both covered in shapes to appear “camouflaged.” This done in black and white had already caught my attention. The description of the camouflage’s purpose enticed me further stating that it was meant to stop one from being identified on CCTV. While these were all interesting trait, the thing that made me fully stop in my tracks was the reflective nature of the painting. Among the camouflage there were large areas of reflective material that acted as a mirror. This did me in and I took a seat and observed.
The painting almost seemed to me like a mug shot. The two women were quite expressionless. Their hair was pulled back simply and they wore no makeup or jewelry. The two look very similar, granted they are twins. The choosing of twins for a portrait about blurred identity felt very intentional to me. The reflective nature making patrons look at themselves within the portrait struck me as well in terms of discussing identity. The camouflage reminded me of a mask being worn by the two twins. Masks in art often represent that sort of identity being discussed in the Wilson sisters’ work.
The faces that lack completion almost make me uneasy, yet drawn by the lack of communication. The piece feels quiet for the most part, I could possibly imagine the sound of slight static or chatter within it. I believe that the portrait would be cold and slick like glass due to its reflective aspect.
The Wilson twins certainly drew me in and swallowed me up in their work. They forced a reflection on identity through a reflection of my own face. I found it to be a beautiful piece to get to see in person. The photograph doesn’t do it justice.
Theatre in London U of A 