The Bronx is widely recognized as the birthplace of hip-hop, particularly linked to a now-famous party that took place on August 11, 1973, in the communal space of 1520 Sedgwick Ave., where Clive Campbell, later known as DJ Kool Herc, showcased his turntable skills.
Hip-hop soon blossomed into a global cultural movement throughout the 1980s, captivating millions including identical twin brothers Gustavo and Otávio Pandolfo from the Cambuci district of São Paulo, Brazil.
As part of the continuing celebration of hip-hop and its artistic extensions, the Hirshhorn Museum presents the closing weekend of the retrospective exhibition “OSGEMEOS: Endless Story,” organized by Marina Isgro, associate curator of media and performance art, which runs until Sunday, August 3.
Visitors are strongly encouraged to explore this exhibition, which offers a gateway into the vibrant world of contemporary Brazilian visual culture, often unfamiliar to many art enthusiasts.
The Pandolfo twins, known as OSGEMEOS (the Portuguese translation of “the twins”), have traveled an impressive path from humble taggers to internationally recognized artists, reminiscent of the journeys of renowned figures like Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
The twin brothers, born March 29, 1974, began expressing their imaginative stories as children, crafting a unique and colorful dreamscape that culminates in the title of this exhibition: “Endless Story.”
One captivating aspect of their work is the choice of their characters’ distinctive yellow skin.
In a 2018 interview with Sasha Bogojev for Juxtapoz Magazine, the twins explained that as children, they were enchanted by the way sunlight filled their mother’s house with a yellow hue, which they found to be mystical and peaceful.
A pivotal moment in their artistic journey occurred in 1993 when they caught the attention of San Francisco street artist Barry McGee.
After a dinner invitation, facilitated through their Lithuanian Brazilian mother, they soon learned they were dining with the famous tagger Twist, whose work they had admired in skateboarding magazines.
McGee’s mentorship subsequently opened doors for OSGEMEOS, leading to a series of public commissions, gallery representations, and invitations to exhibit their work in prestigious museums.
The duo was featured in the notable “Street Art” exhibition at London’s Tate Modern in 2008, alongside other celebrated artists such as Blu, Faile, JR, Nunca, and Sixeart.
Their journey continued to gain momentum with their first solo exhibition at a U.S. museum in 2012, held at Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art.
However, their work also sparked controversy, such as with their large mural “The Giant of Boston,” which sparked debate regarding the character’s representation.
Despite interpretations suggesting a negative stigma, the Greenway Conservancy clarified that the giant was merely a whimsical character observing city life.
At the Hirshhorn Museum, viewers can explore “The Little Giant,” a similar yellow and barefoot figure, positioned in the museum’s circular plaza.
This inflatable creation features slitted eyes, a flattened nose, and playful characteristics topped with vibrant hair, whimsically juxtaposed against the museum’s architectural design.
The exhibition seeks to provide a near-archival overview of their artistic evolution, showcasing hundreds of childhood photos and early drawings preserved by their mother, along with a myriad of enlarged images of public artworks, both unauthorized and official.
While graffiti’s early days have become romanticized, OSGEMEOS has undoubtedly transitioned from their street tagger roots.
They respect traditional graffiti culture deeply, acknowledging that many engaged in the medium do so for personal expression, yet for them, it became necessary to develop a more expansive creative environment.
The twins’ advancement is evident in their transition from 2D to 3D artwork, with “Endless Story” featuring a range of small painted sculptures and sound installations.
Among the highlights are the striking and imaginative installations “The Tritrez Altar” and “The Moon Room.”
The Tritrez Altar is described by OSGEMEOS as a creative blend of their parallel world, which they feel lives within them.
This installation transforms a gallery wall into an immersive experience reminiscent of both a vibrant discotheque and an ancient tomb.
In contrast, “The Moon Room” invites visitors to peer through window-like openings into a surreal Victorian-inspired bedroom, where an elongated, glowing head rests on a bed accompanied by the distant sounds of opera arias, a nod to their grandfather’s musical influence.
Moreover, one gallery features a playful element: a character depicted standing beneath a colorful cone emanating from a flying saucer.
The twins humorously posed the idea that perhaps they could be aliens themselves, expressing a lifelong fascination with the unknown and the whimsical.
As the “OSGEMEOS: Endless Story” exhibition wraps up, it serves as an exceptional opportunity to delve into the lush and imaginative worlds the twins have created over the decades, summarizing their evolution as artists in a dynamic cultural landscape.
For those interested in experiencing this vibrant artistic journey, the exhibition concludes on August 3rd at the Hirshhorn Museum.
image source from：georgetowner
