OSGEMEOS infill lehmann maupin with immersive installations + music-making machines

twin brothers and brazilian artist duo OSGEMEOS has transformed multiple rooms at new york’s lehmann maupin gallery into an immersive installation. blending drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, and kinetic and audio media, ‘silence of the music’ presents a multi-sensory experience that embraces the power of human imagination. newer works displayed represent both an evolution of the artists’ distinct style and a return to their early experimentation with diverse mediums.

installation views courtesy the artists and lehmann maupin, new york and hong kong / photos by max yawney

presented at lehmann maupin’s west 22nd street space from now through october 22, 2016, the exhibition is conceived as a site-specific installation. each room hosts a unique grouping of paintings and objects that cover the walls, floor and ceiling.

‘silence of the music’ presents an expansive view of OSGEMEOS’ unique artistic perspective and creative process, with particular tribute paid to music. the 1970s and 80s were an especially influential time of discovery for the twins, as hip hop’s improvisational nature and descriptions of everyday life on the streets became important aspects of their practice. at lehmann maupin, the ‘b-boy’ highlights their fascination with this era and style of music. canvases with embedded speakers play tracks linked to the imagery on the canvas, while interactive sculptures play LP records.

additionally, the twins have often described a shared, subconscious experience that they translate visually in their collaborative practice. they allude to this notion of duality with their use of the sun and moon — a representation of masculine and feminine forces — as seen in the room ‘kiss’.

a mechanical sculpture — symbolizing the masculine — plays compositions arranged by OSGEMEOS and their brother. affixed to the ceiling directly above it, a sculpture depicts a female, moon-shaped face that seemingly kisses the floor sculpture, triggering the music played. this imagery intends to conjure a lucid dream state and encourage viewers to consider their own subconscious.