The public’s enduring fascination with twins will be front at centre at the National Gallery of Canada (NGC) this summer when a recreation of Damien Hirst’s performance piece Ingo, Torsten is featured as part of the exhibition Pop Life: Art in a Material World.

At the 1992 Cologne Unfair art fair, Hirst commissioned identical twins named Ingo and Torsten to spend time sitting in front of his trademark spot paintings while doing identical activities. The piece was said to be about surface appearances, individuality, and making a scene.

For the 2010 version of the work, the NGC is seeking numerous sets of identical twins to perform in “shifts” doing any identical activities they wish.

The first local pair of twins to show interest were Sophie and Isabelle Lynch, second-year students at the University of Ottawa studying philosophy and art history. The Lynch sisters were on hand for a publicity shoot on Monday, February 15 at the NGC.

“Isabelle was working on an essay and procrastinating by browsing the Tate Modern website at 3 a.m., explained Sophie. “The Pop Life exhibit was on view there. The Tate was, like the NGC, searching for twins to take part in a Damien Hirst artwork. We wrote an email to the National Gallery of Canada and agreed to be part of the project.”

The twins first heard of Hirst when his For the Love of God skull was famously displayed in London with an asking price of £50 million.

“We've been lucky enough to see some of his works at museums in New York City and London,” said Isabelle.

The Lynch sisters are happy to lead lives that are deeply interconnected in the way of most identical twins.

“We’ve always shared friends, clothes, books and birthdays,” said Isabelle. “Growing up, we loved being together: ballet classes and duets on the piano were some of our favorite twin activities.”

“Today, we have different part-time jobs and spend time apart,” added Sophie. “Still, having a twin is like having a loving lifelong companion and things are always better when we experience them together.”

Sophie and Isabelle are already looking forward to performances this summer.

“You can do anything: read the same book, talk, stand, sit as long as you’re doing the same thing,” said Isabelle. “Depending on how many shifts we work, we might be able to finish War and Peace. Ha!”

Eligible twins must be aged 18 or older and are invited to apply online at gallery.ca/poplife. Participants will be compensated for their time and presented with a photographic memento of their performance, signed by Damien Hirst.

A North American exclusive at the National Gallery of Canada this summer, Pop Life: Art in a Material World will be on view from June 11 to September 19.