Our piece is inspired by the late Emma Amos and her print, ‘Twined Flowers’. Ms. Amos, who just passed away in May of this year, was an Atlanta native who, throughout her career as an artist, was often excluded from mainstream art scenes because of either her gender, race, or both. She experienced the external world as an African American woman while her lineage was also Native American and European. We connected with her work instantaneously because she often painted colorful images of dancers or people falling through air with the idea that someone was always there to catch them. ‘Twined Flowers’, which is an outlier from much of Ms. Amos’ work, garnered an even deeper connection. It felt like, as individuals, we represented specific aspects of the images that merge to create Ms. Amos’s self-portrait. This collaboration is a celebration of the many facets of who we are. Not being defined by any one aspect of our identity. Embracing our differences, as well as the diversity of all those around us. In a world where the Black woman is often carrying much of the burden without her voice being heard, in this piece, we illustrate the shift, where two women, despite their differences, are given equal representation and are intertwined without losing their uniqueness. Reflecting each other’s greatness as a mirror of positivity for each other is much more productive than tearing each other down. Women are often forced to compete and choreograph our ways to the tune of a society shaped by the male perspective. This concept is illustrated by the cello’s melodic tone with its rhythmic low and high registers. The melodies energize, complement and complicate our performance with the introduction of masculine energy. In this piece, we embark on a journey to illustrate a more inclusive approach to artistic expression recognizing womanhood and its centrality to humanity. For Amos, art and activism are inseparable. Just as she felt that every time she made a choice on the skin color of her subjects, whether butterscotch, brown or black, how we interact as interracial duo trapeze partners often makes a statement whether intentional or not, as does our feminine strength or being a Black artist breaking stereotypes. The beauty of Amos' work is that, while celebrating differences, not abandoning individuality, she equally intertwines the many facades of our existence, so that we are unified, seeing each other as human beyond gender and race. www.oppositetwins.com https://www.atlatakeova.com https://www.okcello.com