DOUBLE BEING — when the two dance, the one becomes the third. This art is the holy child. Sincerity and sensitivity induce receptivity. The body is our beloved instrument. Attuning together. Somatic melody. Dialogue as movement. Imagery as mantras. Rendering visible that which has been made hidden. Self reflecting nakedness amidst the potent emptiness. Without projection all that remains is the mirror.
DOUBLE BEING is the visionary artist duo of Marisa Papen and Michael Chichi. Their work bridges photography, poetry, film, publication, design, objects & music — exploring body freedom, relational polarity & interbeing.
CURRICULUM VITAE
2025
Exhibited two new works in the group exhibition ‘HIGHER LOVE - The Psychedelic Roots of Modern Sexuality’ at the Museum of Sex in NYC. Including their first sculptural object, ‘Infinite Union’ and a lenticular work, ‘If only I would be a Flower of Life’. On occasion of the exhibition, they also produced and published ‘The Infinite’.
In Taos, New Mexico, they co-created with April Ramee, Venus Codes and Holly Jean a ritual tea performance called, ‘KOSM — the whispering void’. An invocation of the primordial elements, coalescing into form through emergent art and primal embodied expression. Two performances were held at Atelier 111.
Exhibited 5 works in the group show, ’No Apologies’ at Black Gallery in Antwerp, on view from April - August.
2024
‘Flow of Life’ received awards from Tokyo International Short Film Festival & Blow Up Art House FilmFest, etc. It was screened at the Poetic Lens film festival in Portland and Eugene, OR. The film was released publicly in November and amassed one million views within the first month. They donated 300 Earth Family books to organization such as Universal Love Alliance, Plum Village & Tamera.
They were commissioned by SYNCHRO to develop a completely new visual identity. Including branding/wordmark, packaging design & biopattern imagery, website creative direction, campaign & lifestyle photography/video and social.
2023
Their 15 min short film, ‘Flow of Life’, won an award for best women’s short, and was selected for multiple film festivals.
In December during Art Week Miami they exhibited & debuted ‘Flower of Life’ — the largest, most intimate portrait of a vagina ever exhibited. They also exhibited ‘If only I would be a Flower’. In addition they produced & published, ‘The Fold’, hand distributing 3,000 copies all across Miami.
2022
Produced & art directed the cover of Playboy magazine with their work - ‘If only I would be a Flower’ — garnering international praise as the first vagina in history on the cover of the magazine. They also participated in a group exhibition in Bangkok ‘The New Ark’, exhibiting the 13 moon paintings from their ‘Flow of Life’ project — a multidisciplinary expression inspired by the menstrual cycle and the story of womanhood.
Together with Michelin star chef, Clément Hernandez, they organized an immersive art dinner at his restaurant WORKSHOP in Bangkok. It was a collaborative fusion of art and fine dining, pairing plant-based French cuisine with live performance/poetry, visuals and curated music.
2021
Created the image ‘Flower of Life’, a statement to restore our interpretation of the vagina, revealing her in the light of high-fidelity and elegance. Minted as the first nft of a vagina. Inspired to delve deeper into her layers, they curated & commissioned 13 artists to offer their interpretation of ‘Flower of Life’, publishing both a series of art prints and book, called ‘Flowers of Life’.
2020
Founded the non-profit ‘Earth Family’ and published a book of the same name in the form of an illustrated poem.