I've had to play catch-up on the portraits of the past few days because of a project that I had to really devote some time to, but I was too excited about the birthday that fell on August 31. For one, it is the first set of twins in the collection. And two, they are an amazing underground filmmaking sibling duo that have been making them since they received their first cameras at the age of 12. Friday would have been George's 70th birthday, but sadly he passed last year. Mike, however, is alive and teaching a filmmaking course at The Art Institute of San Francisco that his brother had previously taught for close to 40 years. Mike has graciously taken over for his brother.
Up until 1965, the brothers made films together, often with 8mm and 16mm film. However, when they began making pictures separately, they each made their best works:
George made
Hold Me While I'm Naked in 1966.
Mike made
Sins of the Fleshapoids in 1965 which majorly influenced John Waters, so thank you John, and thank you Mike.
Obsessions beget obsessions and become obsessions and more obsessions and if this project has taught me anything, it's that there are so many interesting people to find and it's worth all the digging.
George and Mike Kuchar (in the sixties, together, and happy)
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