The long and the short

The long and the short is a playful rendition of two figures, facing each other, engrossed in a slightly cruel, high stakes game. They are an expression of duality, like the two sides of a coin. Both are locked each in their place, disabled, not able to make a winning strike at the other, and unable to leave. The notion of under and over, winner/loser, is disabled: the piece can be hung both ways. And, if it's all a game, the two figures could be the ones being played, puppets without own agency. But who is the player?