Doug and Mike Starn
THE STARN BROTHERS

Black Pulse No 17, 2000-01
MIS inkjet print on Gampi paper with albumen and encaustic
edition 2/3
27.5 x 52.5"

I always seem to forget about these twin brothers, and their amazing images and their investigation of imagery. Yet when I think of them I'm flabbergasted at how their work could ever slip my mind. Born in 1961, these boys started messing around making images as preteens. They are constantly evolving and pushing both the scientific investigations as well as the personal. In fact, just when I think they have officially left the art world for the science arena, they publish a coffee table book of superb images and poems. In the 80's while I was still a student these budding artists were trying out what is now primitive cut and paste multi image layering, now they are pushing the digital imaging realm and sitting on the razor's precipice of the cutting edge.

When an artist or in this case, artists begin pushing the limits, it's easy for the technique to become the art, rather than the image. In order to keep from that happening the image itself must be strong enough to withstand a transformation. In addition, uniquely the Starns have always seemed to consider the vehicle of alteration as an important element in accompanying the image. The process of investigation is as much the art as the end of result of images.