The Brothers Quay, identical twins Randolph and Timothy, were born in a town near Philadelphia, which was renowned for its substantial European immigrant population. This unique cultural environment significantly influenced their fascination with European, particularly Eastern European, culture.
In the late 1960s, they relocated to London to pursue their artistic aspirations at the prestigious Royal College of Art. During their time at the RCA, they created their initial short films, which unfortunately have been lost to the passage of time. Following a stint in Holland during the 1970s, they returned to London, where they collaborated with fellow RCA alumnus Keith Griffiths, who would go on to produce all their subsequent films.
Throughout the 1980s, the Brothers Quay concentrated on creating television commercials, including notable campaigns for Honeywell, Walkers Crisps, and Dulux Wood Protection, as well as music videos, such as their iconic contribution to Peter Gabriel's 'Sledgehammer'. These commercial endeavors allowed them to support their personal projects, which primarily featured their signature puppet animation style and drew inspiration from obscure literary sources, including the works of Bruno Schulz, Robert Walser, and Michel de Ghelderode.
The year 1995 marked the premiere of their first feature-length film, 'Institute Benjamenta', a cinematic masterpiece that blended live-action elements with their distinctively Quayesque aesthetic.
