Domestic Partnership Wallpaper, Digital Art, 2009
Domestic Partnership Wallpaper, Watercolor on Paper, 10" x 7", 2000
Domestic Partner Shadowbox, inkjet printed paper cutouts glued onto painted shadowbox, 2000
I created this shadowbox and accompanying painting to celebrate the then new Domestic Partnership Certificate Philadelphia began to offer same gender couples in 1998. At that time, same gender couples did not have the legal right to get married in Pennsylvania. To qualify for the Life Partnership Certificate, the couple had to provide the City with documentation of shared address, living expenses, bank accounts, and so on. When the certificate was first offered, the City held a group ceremony at City Hall to deliver the Certificates to many couples who had qualified, and served sparkling apple juice to us all with a toast to our commitment. It was an amazing experience to realize we now had support from the City government for our commitment to build a home and share our lives with each other. The shadowbox reflects the universal themes of building a home as a couple: furniture, wallpaper, rugs, wall hangings, dishes, appliances, landscaping, and love.
In 2000, I was experimenting with creating digital art and printing it out on a regular inkjet printer, at that time an HP printer. I wanted to turn a printout of the Domestic Partner watercolor painting and other artwork into "wallpaper" for the domestic partner shadowbox. I cut out and glued the pieces to the shadowbox. Unfortunately, the printed wallpaper did not make it through exposure to the sunlit room where the shadowbox was hanging. I may someday revive this project and find a better way to implement it.
Dollhouse Furniture, PhotoShop Masks, 2009
I created these masks of the dollhouse furniture I kept from my childhood. I plan to use the masks when I revive the Domestic Partner Shadowbox project. Gay marriage was legalized in Pennsylvania in 2013, and I assume that caused the City's Life Partnership program to go into hibernation. Most married couples are also "domestic partners" so maybe I can keep the name of this project.
