Photography has long been the underdog of the art world. This is often attributed to its mechanical nature, perceived lack of labour and inability to conjure an aura compared to painting and sculpture. The work of Elliot and Erick Jiménez — two first-generation Cuban-Americans who are identical twins — refutes these limitations, however, and instead invites the viewer into a mystical world of complex images.

Surreal, regal and elemental, the duo’s protagonists appear out of time, caught somewhere between the sacred and the contemporary. Together, their work propels the viewer into a fantasy world that seeks to reconcile the transculturation of their childhood and offer a new way of seeing cultural hybridity.

The duo discovered photography at 15 when they got their first camera. They haven’t put it down since. “We didn’t have an easy childhood,” Elliot says. “Photography changed my perspective on the world and gave me something to hold onto — something to be excited about and a way to express myself. It might sound dramatic, but it’s been a liberating journey and I cannot imagine my life without it.” While the photographic duo originally began their careers separately, it didn’t take long for them to recognise that they might be stronger together.