As We See It

Gabrielle St. Evensen turns self-marriage into performance art at P3Studio

Image
Marry Your Self runs through June 7 at Cosmopolitan’s P3Studio.

You’ve known yourself for a while now, you live with yourself, you love yourself. So why not tie the knot ... with yourself? In Marry Your Self, New York City artist Gabrielle St. Evensen leads P3Studio guests through the matrimonial process, from the ring to the outfit to the vows, photos and celebratory (cup)cake. St. Evensen was inspired by astrologer Rob Brezsny, who married an audience to themselves, and decided to take the plunge on her own; in 2000, she wed herself as a performance-art piece.

“On one hand it was very satisfying,” St. Evensen recalls. “But on the other it was a little lonely. At the end I was like, ‘Do I wash the dishes now? What do I do?’” Fast-forward to today, and the ordained artist has conducted more than 1,000 self-weddings in Brooklyn, in New Orleans and even at Burning Man. St. Evensen has polished her ceremonies over time, taking them offstage and tucking them into more intimate spaces. At the Cosmopolitan, casino guests can see those entering the spiral chapel, but can’t make them out once they reach the center to face a mirror and repeat their vows. Brides and grooms can write their own, but usually check boxes off a suggested list. The vows are tender, empowering and often amusing. (“I promise to ... cherish my strange wonder and accept that I’m a magical creature ... ”)

“We do need ritual,” St. Evensen says. “That’s why we join sororities. That’s why we have bachelorette parties. We need that rite of passage. What do you do when you have a personal rite of passage? You should have a place where you can go and have a church or whatever it is you need.”

Marry Your Self Through June 7; Wednesday-Sunday, 6-11 p.m. Cosmopolitan's P3Studio, 702-698-7000.

Share
Top of Story