In their ongoing exploration of selfhood, artist duo L.A. Raeven (the identical twins Liesbeth and Angelique Raeven) probe the fraught terrain between identity and mirror image, autonomy and dependence. Their latest exhibition, The Concept of Self at Ellen de Bruijne Projects in Amsterdam, delves deeper into this territory — making visible the tension between being oneself and being reflected.
Rooted in their lifelong collaboration, the twins frame their own bodies as both subject and object. Their work scrutinizes how self-image is constructed, stretched, tested, and mirrored—not only between them, but also via society’s systems and the public gaze.
Liesbeth and Angelique grew up deeply intertwined: symbiotic yet competitive, close yet striving for individual space. Their artistic practice draws on these dynamics, as well as their experiences in the medical and fashion worlds—realms defined by rigid standards of beauty and control.
From their early video installations in Boston to collaborative performances and sculptural interventions, L.A. Raeven provocatively challenges the norms of beauty, identity, and voyeurism. In The Concept of Self, they pose fundamental, existential questions: Is there a truly autonomous self, or are we always shaped by others? And what does being oneself even mean when mirrored so closely by another?
Underneath their disarming imagery lies a refined critique: through their bodies, they reflect on the very structures—psychological, social, medical—that shape how we see ourselves… and how we dare to be.
To read the full article (Dutch), please visit the Galleryviewer article.