Welcome to the party!
Now that you’re here, we can get the festivities under way. Come, take a seat at the table!
Terry Vinyard’s work A Gift for the Twins, 1999, is an intimate scene of a fairly joyful party. The dimmed room, illuminated by only the cake’s candles, and the looks of joy and surprise on the guests’ faces imply a particularly delightful scene just off-camera. The characters throughout the image are silly and upbeat, from the goofy clowns to the sullen ballerina and the trick dog. The scene has the impression of being from a circus, with bold patterns and costume attire worn around the table.
Vinyard has also etched some humor into the fabric of the room. The walls themselves are smiling!
The puppy’s eagerly holding up a mystery gift, executing a difficult trick.
And the number of candles on the cake imply that the birthday havers are incredibly old… [image of the cake, if only one of these candles is “to grow on,” the birthday people must be ancient.]
But this image is also a bit of a mystery. Who are the twins? What kind of party is this? What surprises are the characters looking at, off screen… and who are these eclectic party guests?
Part of the fun of this piece is that in such a busy room, more questions are raised than answers. The fun of this piece is the mystery. With an open seat left at the front of the table, you the viewer are invited to participate in the festivities.
So, you decide the story. Who are these guests?
As you enjoy the scene above and get to know the guests, it’s kind to leave a gift for the host. Does this party remind you of one you’ve been to before? Leave an anecdote of your own happy memories in the box below!