In the work, the artists individually record their activities on multiple cameras as they rise and prepare for a video call with one another. The two videos were made separately following the same routine, but are presented together allowing for chance encounters and synchronicities.

The Mechanics of Love is both a prequel and a response to ‘If You Can’t See My Mirrors I Can’t See You’ (IYCSMMICSY), a video co-authored by the artists ten years ago. IYCSMMICSY was a recording of a video call about the making of the work, made using screen recordings and other cameras in the early days of Skype. Live video feeds generating double-portraits were novel. There was magic in how the computer screen functioned as both a mirror and a lamp, and created an instant window into another world.

Using a video call as the basis of a work is pertinent in new ways today. The use of the video call has changed, with calls scheduled to aid daily rhythm and structure. The Mechanics of Love reflects on new kinds of aesthetics made possible through video technology alongside a consideration of the role of video technology in the process of opening up and sharing space with others.

Text written by the artists during their residency: Reflection on Reflection