Ars Anorexiae: LA Raeven (on TV tonight)

It took me a couple of minutes there to dig through to my tucked away hidden intentionally buried Latin knowledge and translate what I wanted to say from English into Latin.

Yes, it’s just two words, but it’s just nicer to say it in Latin. English makes it sound too sensationalist.

Which is what tonight’s Cutting Edge about LA Raven, female twin artists from the Netherlands, is probably going to be like, seeing that the focus won’t be on LA Raeven’s art but instead on

the emotional complexity and depression that can arise from such a close, competitive – and loving – sibling relationship.

My interest in this TV program stems from their show at the ICA which I saw in 2002. It caused a fair bit of commotion at the time, seeing that it seemed to somewhat glorify anorexia (see the pic below and you get the idea). I really liked their work though, it was simple, big, picturesque, and aesthetically pleasing. Back in 2002, I was even in brief email contact with one of them as I was planning to submit a research article on them for a book edited by one of my former colleagues. It never came to it - I was too busy with my PhD.

So, if you’re interested in art, I’d recommend you watch the documentary tonight. I think it’s going to focus mainly on the issue of LA Raeven being a twin, and the inability to separate, and overall a rather medical patronizing approach sensitive portrayal, trying to find out what is wrong with those bl00dy people!

Make up your own mind

Further reading:

the Guardian, Hungry for Fame

EDBprojects, LA Raeven

ARTfacts, LA Raeven