Mx.D.P

Basically, the Earth is F*ck. I can categorically say that after 3 years of reading scientific data. I was talking to a climate change student last night, and their university offers them mental health counselling as part of their course; it’s that grim. Mass Migration, Resource scarcity, Unpredictable climate chaos, and climate breakdown. But before we get into the meat of that, the consensus is we will destroy ourselves through resource conflict, war, and revolution.

So, as an artist, what can I do? My conclusion is to form a Network of Global Creative Kindness.

I am doing my best at that. During my PhD studentship interview at NTU, where they are looking at forming an LGBTQIA+ network of artists, I said I now have safeguarding concerns about an open Queer network. The truth is as society breaks down, folks that are ‘other’ are blamed and become a distraction tactic for power takeovers by heteronormative controlling power structures. We saw that in Nazi Germany, and we are seeing it today. So if you are queer, how can you represent? The brutal truth is: only if and when you feel safe to do so…

While this is all going on, I recommend you all go out and live as interesting, happy, and authentic a life as you can.

Be more like Mavis.

Mavis is not her real name, but apparently, she is in her 80s, on Tinder, and living her best life.

As a Queer person, ‘dating’ is not quite as straightforward as it is for Mavis, who is a cis woman and heterosexual.

So, as I’m getting back on the horse, I am finding myself having rather complex and convoluted conversations trying to explain my kink… It has given me ideas for my black squares… also I thought I might write a s3x manifesto to represent.

I’ve been looking at Annie Sprinkles and Beth Stephens’s work Assuming the Ecosexual Position: The Earth as Lover or Eco-Sex.

Beth and Annie Collaboration

Sprinkle and Stephens have passionately serviced their lover through live art, exhibitions, and films for years. Their journey took a queer temporal turn in 2008 when they married the Earth, setting them on a unique path to explore the concept of ecosexuality. Their union allowed them to embrace their love for the planet, turning mutual pleasure into an embodied expression of their sexual commitment to the Earth.

Since then, Sprinkle and Stephens have obliterated boundaries; their ecosexual art blends elements of third-wave feminism and queer theory with environmental activism in a sensual, humorous, and exuberant gush of creativity. They engage with the world through sex, merging basic biology and ecology into an artistic love child.

In their book Assuming the Ecosexual Position, Sprinkle and Stephens reflect on childhood experiences that foreshadowed their ecosexual journey. For Annie, it was the joy of swimming in her family’s pool in Los Angeles while Beth gorged on forbidden tomatoes from her grandparents’ farm in the Appalachian Mountains. Together, they share their story, leading to the creation of the Love Art Laboratory. This initiative has united performance artists like Linda M. Montano, Guillermo Gómez-Peña, and feminist pornographer Madison Young.

The dynamic duo look at their innovative interactive performance art projects, including the Chemo Fashion Show, Cuddle, Sidewalk Sex Clinics, and Ecosex Walking Tours. Over the years, they have wed various elements of nature, from the Appalachian Mountains to the Adriatic Sea. These ceremonies have involved hundreds of collaborators and welcomed thousands of guests, all vowing to love, honour, and cherish the Earth’s diverse elements.

At a time when society grapples with stark divisions and rigid categories, their work opens up discussions around gender, sexuality, art, and environmentalism, revealing the infinite possibilities of love. Their message is clear: saving the planet can be an act of sex positive love.

Inspired by Sprinkle and Stephens, Graham Bell Tornado has taken a deeper eco-sex position on the exploration of ecocide.

http://www.grahambelltornado.com

Hailing from Scotland and currently living in Spain, Bell Tornado is a transgender performance artist who delves into the intricate Queer relationships between gender and ecology. With a PhD in Artistic Research and Production, Bell Tornado studied under Queer artist Juan Vicente Aliaga at the Polytechnic University of Valencia.

In 2019, Bell Tornado published their book Ecogender X, which reflects their personal experiences and insights.

Bell Tornado performances blend popular culture and traditional art performances with social critique. Their art occurs in various settings, from art festivals and nightclubs to museums, theatres, social centres, and rural public spaces. They aim to engage diverse audiences with their work.

In addition to their performance art, Graham co-directs La Erreria (House of Bent), a queer art space honoured with the Museari Queer Art Prize in 2020. They have had solo exhibitions at Fantastik Lab in Valencia (2022), the Davis Museum in Barcelona (2015), and the Transmission Gallery in Glasgow (1996). They have also participated in artist residencies at Art Sur in Cordoba, the Unfix Festival of Performance and Ecology in Glasgow, and CUNTemporary Arts in London.

They have collaborated with Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens at the Venice Biennale, Cabello/Carceller at IVAM, and Ernesto Tomasini at the ICA in London. I particularly enjoy their video works:

Their work has been showcased at Queer film festivals around the globe, including events in London, Paris, Barcelona, Fortaleza, and Quito.

Bell Tornado is starting conversations about gender identity, ecology, and social justice in a world that has become mute.