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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 2, 1996)
20 T august 2, 1900 ▼ just out AUSTRALIA Take a Mate R ites on D isplay Acanthus Gallery invites you to a wedding or a debate at “Let Them Eat Cake” by Inga Sorensen •Plut tax out of Lot Rngolet North Portland Veterinary Hospital Like any family member our pets need good healthcare. At North Portland Veterinary Hospital, we provide the very best medical care along with Trauel June 7 mru Ticket O subject to change - restrictions may apply # Mi R ic a mm Traypi Hpst Season Aupst I thru October 31 RT air, 285-0462 2 nights San Jose, 3 nights lllanuel Antonio, 2 nights Arena! Area, 4 »heel drive vehicle, 2009 N.Killingsworth hotel tares anil service charges big doses of tenderness and compassion. K, maybe U.S. Reps. Elizabeth Furse and Earl Blumenauer don’t support legal m arriag es for sam e-sex couples, but Portland gallery owner Mark Woolley sure does. And while there’s not much he can do with respect to personally voting for federal nondis crimination legislation, Woolley, who owns the Acanthus Gallery in Portland, is promoting equal rights by encouraging same-sex and opposite- subject to change - r e s t r ic t io n s mat a p p h » • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • V ic* ü P ro ÌTl4>0 m A l t A .V.’. m MEMBER iess Wayne Boulette Michael Scott PARKING VALIDATED One SW Columbia Suite 1010 Portland, OR 97258 (503) 227-3639 FAX (503) 227-0602 J -800-248-0624 David Tarver All farm A ra in Mb|«ct to Chang« • Some restriction« apply. TRAVEL SERVICE alien sex couples to use his space for wedding cer emonies. “It comes down to a matter of basic justice,” says the 44-year-old Woolley. “If two people want to, in good faith, commit to each other and marry, then they should have that right regard less of their gender.” As part of the American Civil Liberties Union’s annual Uncensored Celebration, the citywide celebration of free expression held throughout September, the gallery will host “Let Them Eat Cake,” an invitational show celebrat ing the cake and its related rituals. An es tim ated two dozen artists w ill present their interpre tatio n s of “cake.” “T here is no food that speaks so stro n g ly of ritual as the c a k e ,” says Woolley. Indeed. M any re li gious festivals and p riv ate rites of pas- The happy couples sage— weddings among them— have their at tendant cakes. In addition to showing particular artwork, Woolley wants his gallery space to be used for cake walks and celebratory events— weddings, commitment ceremonies, vow renewals— as well as debates and other activities related to the theme. With Congress and the president moving closer toward approving the Defense of Mar riage Act, which defines marriage in federal law as a “legal union between one man and one woman,” Woolley and others believe it may be even more imperative for same-sex couples to publicly celebrate their commitments. “I’m using my gallery to welcome anyone wanting to commit themselves to each other. How can many of those screaming about ‘family values’ simultaneously demand personal com mitment and responsibility throughout society and condemn same-sex couples for seeking it through legal marriage?” says Woolley, who continues “to find joy in a marriage of 20 years” with his wife, artist Angelina Phelan Woolley, whom he met while taking a sculpture class at Lewis & Clark College two-plus decades ago. “Why should anyone be denied that opportu nity with the person willing to embark on the same journey? With AIDS and so many children needing loving homes, we need to foster more commitment, legal commitment, to other people, not less,” he says. To lend to the air of sanctity, Woolley says painter Rosie Biskar is designing a series of stained-glass panels which will be displayed during the exhibit’s run. “W e’ve never had a wedding in the space,” he says. “I think it will be great.” Woolley did, however, orchestrate a wed ding photo shoot at the gallery, which featured three real-life committed duos, two of whom are same-sex couples. Pauline and Devioune Miriam-d’ Aviau, who will be wed Aug. 18 during a ceremony at Portland’s Metropolitan Community Church, were part of the shoot, which was a publicity project for “Let Them Eat Cake.” “When Devioune and 1 decided to marry, we had to think long and hard about same-sex mar riage,” says Pauline, 44. “For the two of us, this public consummation of our relationship vali dates our commitment to each other. We have lived together for over six years and although we are certainly recognized among our friends and families as a couple, we feel the need to affirm our faith and love for each other in a recogniz able fashion.” She adds, “Being radical traditionalists, we choose to engage in a marriage rather than a holy union or commitment ceremony. While some may argue that we are miming the patriarchy, we like to think of it as taking the best from a cul ture which in validates us and empowering us by making it our own.” The m ale co u p le, Doug N eville and K elly F arris, held their com m itm ent c e r emony in D e cem ber 1995. They describe their union as “a way of honoring the commitment we made to each other all along.... These days our commu nity gets more opportunities to share in the mourning of a loss rather than a chance to be part of a joyous celebration.” Prior to opening his gallery two and a half years ago, Woolley taught social science for 15 years in small-town Oregon. He also worked as a law-related education specialist for the Class room Law Project and the Constitution Project, nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving students’ and educators’ knowledge about the law and Constitution. “As a teacher, I always viewed my classroom as a place for the exchange of ideas,” he says. “Now my gallery has become the classroom for the exchange of ideas.” According to Woolley, the gallery has been the site of numerous benefits supporting organi zations such as Cascade AIDS Project and Sis ters of the Road Cafe. “It’s important to me that there be a way to connect the artist community with the broader community,” he says. “I want this gallery to do that.” Those interested in holding a ceremony and/or reception at Acanthus Gallery should contact Woolley at 224-5475 as soon as possible to make arrangements. The gallery is located at 120 NW Ninth Ave.h Suite 210.