Action preparations/vexations
by Jason Stratton

The following is a proposed interpretation of the 1965 Wedding Action, written by Jason Stratton. In addition to his work as an artist and writer, Stratton is a celebrated professional chef. In the 2023 iteration of Art Wedding, Stratton assumes the role of Schwarzkogler—whose presence in the original “ceremony” was that of equal parts priest, dramaturge, officiant, ringmaster.

Vexations plays maybe live for the first segment by Satie of course. Recorded track begins and four musicians join from four corners of the room trying to match the recorded notes each having given a week to join it each assigned split parts. Or a round Robin where they all progress through a sheet of music each playing different parts or remaining silent until they have imperfectly played the piece. The singer arrives bearing a ripe pear. They remove it to the mirror and a knife is plunged into its flesh.

Someone reads aloud and the singer ad libs focalizations/vocalizes without having first heard the song as the keyboard or piano continues its drone. Energy thus intensifies as everyone listens. This continues until the singer needs to drink water. The water is offered dyed blue in a glass bottle and drinks without breathing until they are quenched. Water may pour down their garment. Someone else sabers champagne or opens it with a pop. The cork is found by the Singer and soaks it in a heavy blue bath in a shallow silver tray. Someone else turns it until it is well coated. The singer drinks a coupe of champagne waiting in someone’s hand and the action moves on to the next segment. The blue cork is placed on the black mirror next to the two fishes. The singer washes the fish with the remaining blue water and yellow crystals or gold are poured over them from their hand.

Recorded drone begins. Schwarzkogler arrives and approaches the mirror two pigeons dragged behind on long golden threads upon the ground caught through the breasts with fishing hooks. They are washed with milk and then honey and then a mound of anise seeds to cover them and dried roses and peppercorns and finally covered with salt. The priestess performs. Canary yellow powdered pigment is poured upon it and cyan blue.

The fish are removed and opened. The heads are covered in a golden foil and twine and yellow pigment. Other gold is poured upon them and washed with milk and covered with salt and pigment. The priestess performs. The pigeons are excavated and the fish placed on a tray to take to the blue board. The singer begins and the veil is illuminated or the bride and groom step behind it finally visible. This can happen earlier. The fish are nailed to the board and the pigeons are bound to them by twine or gold wire. Someone walks through the crowd pours multi scented water from glass porrones directly into the audience’s mouths the water dyed blue yellow and white.

The veil is cut by two usher in drawn by S. And the singer both wearing mask or transparent veils decorated with just living flowers woven in. They are part blinded by it and must be guided by hand. Someone casts liquid pigments onto the shorn skin of the hanging fabric. These are removed and put to dry in another room to be shown and retained they are anointed with unguents and scents before the doors are locked for the evening before everyone has departed by the couple. The singer has ceased singing and speaks softly their part only for the couple. No wedding cake is offered to the couple but cakes are placed nearby and covered in aromatic syrups near the mirror. Wafers are distributed, ribbons and pigment to the audience and told wait for the signal.

A bouquet is brought forward and is dipped into the blue bath. It is beaten onto the board  of fish and pigeons gently until the petals are stripped and the stems thrown at the couple with wafers paper streamers thrown at the couple. The couple unmasks. Your song comes on and the audience pelts the couple with objects in their hands. Loud sounds of fireworks fill the room and paper crackers usher the couple out. The lights go up. The music becomes distorted and loud and the drone returns dimming the lights as the drone begins and the couple changes for their reception. A clay potted plant is broken open and the earth struck from the roots and the party begins the couple emerged in new clothing.