Dueling Identities: An Exploration Within and Beyond Twinship

Being an identical twin, I struggle to find my individuality outside of my twinship. The bond I have with my sister is unmatched to any relationship in this life. People often neglect to view me as a separate person within my twin relationship. I feel conflicted about possessing aspects that pertain to me that are not within my twinship. I have faced many challenges on my own which has helped me to understand and accept that I am strong enough to navigate this world independently. While I love being an identical twin and sharing the same interests in many things, at the same time, I want to be my own person. I explore these tensions by making photographs with the use of still-life to symbolize aspects of our relationship. My research explores how twins are depicted and treated in society and how the challenges of being a twin are overlooked. Our relationship is far more intricate than many choose to understand. Growing up as identical twins, we were expected to be the same and independence was not encouraged. This body of work aims to confront these issues and bring awareness to the complexities of twin identity and twin relationships; and to expand the conversation of this underrepresented topic. My thesis speaks to the broader challenges of defining oneself.