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Joyce J. Scott

Spirit Siamese Twins

Maker

Joyce J. Scott (American, b. 1948 in Baltimore)

Title

Spirit Siamese Twins

Year

2000-2002

Medium

  • beads,
  • wire,
  • glass,
  • wood,
  • and thread

Materials/Techniques

Techniques

  • beads,
  • wire,
  • glass,
  • wood,
  • and thread

Materials

glass, wire, wood, thread

Dimensions

45.7 x 36.8 x 25.4 cm (18 x 14 1/2 x 10 inches)

Signature / Inscription / Marks

signed on bottom of bottle."Spirit Siamese Twins" 2000 in white crayon on felt, with artists signature

Credit / Object Number

Credit

Mary B. Jackson Fund

Object Number

2005.30

Type

  • Sculpture

Exhibition History

The Phantom of Liberty
Contemporary Works in the RISD Museum Collection
May 04, 2018 – Dec 30, 2018

Label copy

I believe it’s about the importance of twins as luck, good especially (such as in Africa), or bad (such as in Korea). Something is being elevated just because they exist differently. They may hold no other powers. -Joyce J. Scott

The Figure
Contemporary Works from the Collection
Mar 12, 2010 – Mar 03, 2011

Label copy

Made from a found bottle, beads, and wooden elements, this sculpture considers cultural perceptions of twins. Baltimore based artist Joyce Scott hails from a diverse background that includes African, Native American, and Scottish ancestry. The artist’s complex roots are reflected in this work, which is imbued with aesthetic and symbolic conventions of African, Native American, Mexican, and Korean cultures. In Africa twins represent good luck, whereas in Korea they are considered a bad omen. The twins in this work are skeletons, echoing Mexican Day of the Dead figures, which represent the inevitability of death. They emerge from a larger, green-beaded figure that symbolizes a life-giving maternal force. While distinct, the twins are linked together and originate from the same place. Thus the piece addresses cultural differences, while underscoring cultural interconnections.

Bodies of Evidence
Contemporary Perspectives
Jul 01, 2005 – Sep 25, 2005

Image use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use.

In copyright This object is in copyright

Tombstone

Joyce J. Scott (American, b. 1948 in Baltimore)
Spirit Siamese Twins, 2000-2002
Beads, wire, glass, wood, and thread
45.7 x 36.8 x 25.4 cm (18 x 14 1/2 x 10 inches)
Mary B. Jackson Fund 2005.30

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Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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