That series involved transforming models into surreal or exaggerated characters based on aspects of themselves, then photographing them in everyday settings. We got in contact with Lois after seeing her work on Instagram. When we went to her house and met her mother, Carey, we became very intrigued by the two of them, by their relationship and by the house itself.
The intention of that initial photo was to show how they express their Jewish identity in a non-traditional way. Lois and Carey are artists and their house is full of art. It was amazing to see how the things they’re interested in seem almost to spill out of their bodies and on to the walls, in the form of artwork, motifs and symbols.
Their story is everywhere; it feels like the house itself is alive. The way they express their Judaism was something we hadn’t encountered before. Lois is involved in performance art, and the fetish community, and her art deals with sexuality and queerness.
In that first photo, she’s standing in the kitchen wearing a latex mask and bodysuit featuring the Star of David, while Carey sits drawing at the table behind her. It’s a striking example of one of the themes of the series – how heritage is passed on from one generation to another, being reinvented every time. That photograph became the starting point for a new project, focusing entirely on Lois and Carey and their home.
They welcomed us with open arms and it was very easy to work with them, so we just kept going. They gave us completely free rein, and two years after meeting them, we would still be finding new rooms, new walls, new knick-knacks. One of our favourite photographs is of Lois’s abandoned childhood bedroom, with its bright pink fireplace contrasting with the peeling walls.
The garden is as impressive as the house’s interior. Carey is obsessed with it and takes care of it daily. Another thing we like to explore in our work is contrast – ordinary acts with an aspect of absurdity or weirdness that provokes or intrigues the viewer and makes them wonder.
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