Martha Colburn, Untitled, 2011; water-based oils and collage on board; 10 5/8 x 7 3/4 in.; courtesy the artist; © Martha Colburn; photo: Don Ross

In the exhibition (and book) titled The Air We Breathe, currently on view on SFMOMA’s second floor, artists and poets were invited to respond to the fight for marriage equality. This Friday afternoon we’re hosting a series of public discussions looking at the state of the campaign.

Discussions will cover political and cultural representations of marriage equality, the origins of activism around this cause, and the relationship between the legal, cultural, and political dimensions, among other issues.

For those who can’t attend in person, we will stream the event here on Open Space. I’ll also be moderating a live comment stream throughout the proceedings, and will try to pose some of your questions to our speakers and panelists, by proxy.

……………………………………

SESSION ONE, Law: 1–1:45 p.m.

Camilla Taylor, marriage project director, Lambda Legal, and Jenny Pizer, Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy

SESSION TWO, Culture: 2–2:45 p.m.

Paul Boneberg, executive director, GLBT Historical Society, and Cleve Jones, GLBT and AIDS activist

SESSION THREE, Politics: 3–3:45 p.m.

Andrea Shorter, marriage and coalitions director, Equality California, and Thomas Watson, chair, Love Honor Cherish

The afternoon will close with discussion among all six panelists and the audience. The event is free and open to the public. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. A public reception follows the program, plus a second performance of artist Simon Fujiwara’s new piece The Boy Who Cried Wolf.