Mady & Monette - Maja Daniels


Monette and Mady are identical twins. They have lived their whole life closely together and are, as they say, inseparable. I used to see them on the streets near my house now and then but mainly on Sundays at our local fruit and vegetable market. I was instantly fascinated by their identical outfits and synchronized corporal language.
When I finally approached them I was not surprised to discover that they often finish each other’s sentences and that they refer to themselves as « I » instead of « we ».
Neither Mady nor Monette are married or have children. They live their lives closely together and have created an image as one. "If we ever go out dressed in different outfits people will come up to us wondering why we are arguing. Perhaps it has become even more important for them to see us dressed identically than it is for us."





Mady and Monette are true performers; they act, sing and dance. Somethimes they don't quite understand why I might be interested to document their everyday life. Its an interesting challenge to make them understand how fascinated I am by what seems so natural and normal to them. These are the first few pictures of an ongoing project.

Maja Daniels





591: Who?
MD: Maja Daniels, Swedish independent photographer, living in London.
591: Film or Digital?
MD: Film, I like the "less is more and the anticipation aspects that comes with film".
591: Inspirations (photography and other)?
MD: I'm inspired by subject matter. Funnily enough, reading sociological texts makes me want to go out and photograph.
591: Last exhibition?
MD: Into Oblivion was exhibited at the Getxophoto festival in the north of Spain throughout the month of September. One of the pictures from the Monette and Mady project are to be exhibited as part of the Taylor Wessing Portrait Price Exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery here in London in November.
591: Website?

591 has recently published another great series from Maja: Into Oblivion.

Tiberio Fanti

Comments

Mikael said…
Charismatic, wonderful work
an amazing wonderful portrait of these special ladies.
I love this series!!!! a lot!!!!!!!
k*
f. l. said…
Great, wonderful series!
mrurbano said…
Such an extraordinary series Maja - you bring forward the personality of the twins as well - excellent. Many thanks to you for sharing with us and to Tiberio for arranging it to happen,
Simon Johansson said…
super series! i especially like the photo of the dance.
V said…
Fantàsticas las gemelas, ha de ser toda una experiencia tener una gemela, no me lo imagino.
Excelentes modelos :)
Phil Decker said…
Fantastic series. It's great that the twins are open to you photographing them in daily life.
Strong6 said…
Maja, I had a spiritual experience when I first saw your photo of Mady and Monette in Real Simple Magazine 3/13. I am a 1st born and have always felt lonely and disconnected from my siblings. I have always been facinated by identical twins and close to jealous of them. When I saw your photo I had like a 'jumping in my gut'....like a remembrance of a similar experience in my early life. I would feel strange telling anyone face to face this. But when I look at the photo, I feel a little less lonely, if that means anything. Thank you. jillyloch@gmail.com