Purple Wedding to the Appalachian Mountains was organized by art professor Jennie Klein. She invited us to her campus, Ohio University. Originally we had planned to have this wedding in West Virginia but were warned off by the anti-MTR activist Judy Bonds, who thought it would be too dangerous. In West Virginia, coal mining continued to provide desirable high-paying jobs in a region with high unemployment and there was a lot of anger toward environmental activists and it could have turned ugly. Fortunately, Ohio University is situated in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, and they were more than happy to host us. Plus we could do it in the Galbreath Chapel, a picturesque, nondenominational chapel in the center of the college green, with great vibes and an old pipe organ.
About 150 guests came. Beth’s sister, brother, brother-in-law, and two cousins drove in from her home state. Since this wedding took place on a college campus, a number of students collaborated to create the performance. They decorated the chapel with braided tree branches from which dangled glitter-coated purple pine cones. Joe Kramer flew in from Oakland to officiate our vows and double as our best man. Tony’s Circus, a group of three performers who dress as life-size furry animals, flew in from Oakland as well. They performed a rousing anti-MTR song they wrote themselves, “Let’s All Be Keepers of the Mountains.” Eco-chaplain Sarah Vekasi, whom we met at a Mountain Justice event, provided us with prewedding marriage counseling. Kris Grey aka Justin Credible, a big-hearted trans* artist who was completing their MFA in ceramics at the university, served as the master of ceremonies. There was an erotic acrobatic dance by a heterosexual couple who had just started dating, John Stazel and Erin Paun. They were wearing only sexy underwear, which many in the audience really appreciated even if eyebrows were raised. Michael Morris performed a Butoh dance to express what a mountain would feel as it was being blown up. The highlight of the Purple Wedding to the Mountains was Larry Gibson’s impassioned homily. The wedding was a magnificent homage to these magnificent mountains.
Click here for the Wedding Program!
Below are photos by Elizabeth Dobson.
| ARTISTS’ STATEMENT |
WE, ARTIST-BRIDES, ELIZABETH STEPHENS & ANNIE SPRINKLE, WILL CELEBRATE TWO PURPLE WEDDINGS THIS FALL 2010. First, Purple Wedding to the Moon, will be held in an outdoor amphitheater at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains in Altadena. CA (LA) under the full moon. Then Purple Wedding to the Appalachian Mountains will be produced with the University of Ohio, and will take place in the Gal- breath Chapel in Athens (Ohio), at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. We invite everyone to join us in taking vows to love, honor and cherish the Moon and the Mountains. Or to simply come bear witness.
ON THESE AUSPICIOUS OCCASIONS WE WILL EXPLORE AND ENGAGE THE THEMES OF INTUITION (3rd eye. 6th chakra). water. moon. mountains. ecosexuality and our love of nature. We invite everyone to share our practice of loving the Moon and the Mountains romantically in order to create more intimate relationships with them. We aim to activate a network of global citizens, artists, activists. sexologists. spiritual practitioners. academics, local folk, family and others. We ask for no material gifts but invite people to collaborate on the creation of these weddings. We are thrilled to have the venerable Reverend Billy, his wife/director Savitri D, and the Church of Life After Shopping Choir officiating the Moon Wedding. Mountain Wedding will feature a homily by Lorry Gibson, the heroic keeper of the mountains.
IN OCTOBER 2009, NASA BOMBED THE MOON WITH EXPLOSIVES TO PROSPECT FOR WATER. We thought of the over 1500 miles of Appalachian creeks and streams that have been forever destroyed by mountain top removal coal mining corporations which use 3 million pounds of explosives per day and poison the water with toxic waste. Domestic terrorism now seems to have become intergalactic terrorism. We will stand up to protect and enjoy what still remains of our planet’s mountains and waters while working towards the creation of effective structures for a healthier environment. We will deploy ecosensual practices, artistic activism and love to help heal the damage that has been done. We intend to make the environmental movement a little more sexy and attractive in order to enlist even more citizens to join us in our ecosexual revolution. Our Purple Weddings aim to create a powerful love beam that will help illuminate the dire straits of the Moon and the Appalachian Mountains while drawing the connections between them. Life cannot exist without clean water and it is quickly running out. Let us gather together to explore ideas and enact changes that will enable future generations of humans, animals, and plants to co-exist and enjoy the sensual pleasures, and abundance of our magnificent lover Earth.
EVERYONE IS INVITED TO JOIN US FOR A HONEYMOON ECOSEX SYMPOSIUM the day after the Wedding to the Moon at Highways Performance Space in Santa Monica, CA. Together we will explore and learn more about sexecology. At University of Ohio we will have an art exhibit at the Trisolini Gallery, do a Sexecological Walking Tour and have an installation of wedding ephemera at Kennedy Art Museum.
JOIN US IN HOLY AND IRREVERENT MATRIMONY AT OUR CELEBRATION of love for the Moon. the Mountains, and each other. Please wear purple and keep your third eye open.
