When Paul B. Preciado began the curatorial process to present our work at documenta 14, he asked what we would like to do most, and we both instantly said the Ecosex Walking Tour. Joy Brooke Fairfield had done a great job helping us script the tour and we were excited to share it in Kassel

Using email and social networking, we issued a call for collaborators to perform with us as tour guides; so many wonderful artists responded it was hard to choose. Documenta paid artist fees and supplied nice places to stay. We were scheduled to perform five afternoon tours, June 14–18, 2017. Piedmont Boutique made us flashy new costumes in collaboration with Christina Dinkel.

Joy joined us in Germany to direct the production. We chose a route that would begin between the first and last of the trees that Joseph Beuys planted for documenta 7, called 7,000 Oaks (7,000 Eichen). It was exciting to stand between those trees that were also right at the base of Marta Minujín’s huge Parthenon of Books, a re-creation of the Greek landmark constructed of banned books and the centerpiece of documenta 14.

We were really pleased with our performance team, most of whom we had not met before that day. When we arrived to give our first tour, we were shocked to find around two hundred people awaiting us and a mob of news photographers and journalists. We led our tour group over to the Karlsaue Park, the map of which looks remarkably like a vulva and an anus. Our tour wove through major documenta sculptural works, through water fountains, and down flower-lined stone steps. We shared our ecosexual herstories and invited our audience to share theirs. Our group then assembled at a semi-private spot where Annie led our team in an ecosexercise workout—breathing, undulating, building, and circulating erotic energy—which the audience could follow along with if they wanted. Next, we walked to the park’s trash cans, and our team picked up trash as we opined about pollution. Sitting on a nearby bench were a group of men, refugees from Africa, that wanted to share their thoughts. Then we invited the audience to step up to the mic and share their environmental concerns, which they did, illustrating the seriousness of environmental crises. It’s spontaneous moments like these that make working in public space so exciting. The dramatic high point of our show was at the park’s war memorial, where we gave a rousing antiwar speech flanked by our fabulous tour guide team posing with the protest signs. After a few minutes of silence, we ended the tour, handing everyone a special card for their wallets, stating that they had made love to the Earth and were now officially ecosexuals.

Our generous ecosexy performers were Sarah Bouars, Daniel Cremer aka Gaiaboi, Sura Hurtzberg, Camille Käse aka Jemelen, Mathias Lenz aka Dr. Menta, Kristianne Salcines, Tessa Huging, Kay Yoon, Allegra Bliss, Jean Roux aka Rhizome, Jake Winchester, and Valentina.

The Earth as Valentine

On Valentine’s Day, 2009, we led a group of artists, academics, ecologists, and activists on a special lover’s tour/walk in the Southern California desert. Absolutely everyone can have a beautiful Valentine and a delicious day of ecosexual lovemaking when the Earth is your lover.

The Love Art Lab participated in the Luminous Green Desert, a conference at a University of California desert research retreat facility near Palm Desert. About thirty-five people were in attendance, primarily artists involved in environmental art.

At 2:30 P.M., a dozen of us gathered and walked into the desert. First, we read our “25 Ways to Make Love to the Earth,” then had everyone introduce themselves and tell us anything that came to mind regarding Earth as a lover. We were delighted to hear some very erotic stories from our colleagues and to know that everyone has had at least one erotic experience with the Earth.

Artist couple Paula Poole and Brett Stalbaum collaborated on the tour with us. Paula invited us to each locate and share our V-spot, a view, or a plant, or a place that we found particularly erotic. One by one, we did, and Paula gifted us each a beautiful hand-beaded necklace that she made. Brett, her husband, photographed our spots, which Paula translated into beautiful pencil drawings later that night.

For some people, a cactus was their V-spot. For others, it was a particular view. It was a few grains of sand for Annie because she said, “In every grain of sand is an entire erotic universe waiting to be explored.” She then ate and swallowed the grains of sand with great pleasure. Beth was a total eco-slut, as she had no less than five V-spots. As tour guides, we pointed out other points of interest; a multitude of phallic and vulvar shapes, a gray granite rock with a white heart, sensual textures, eye-gasmic colorful delights, the scents of lavender, creosote, and more more more. Annie demonstrated the joys of licking and hugging rocks. Beth and artist Larry Bogad picked up a watermelon-sized rock and licked it simultaneously. It licked them back! Further down the path was a rock with a big wet spot.

We moseyed and meandered for a couple of miles. At the end of the trail, we stood in a circle for some ‘ecstasy breathing’ circulating energy with the north, south, east, and west, bringing us to an energetic climax with the Earth. Then we made our way back to base camp as the sun sank behind a breast-shaped mountain. We basked in the afterglow while sucking on the dried mangos and figs we had brought for everyone (healthier than bonbons). We talked about our various environmental art projects, pillow talk, as it were. The desert was a fine lover this fine day.

We hope you will join us on our next lover’s tour.

On a warm, sunny January day, we guided 27 people on a SEXECOLOGICAL WALKING TOUR of San Francisco’s famous Castro neighborhood. We began at our art exhibit at Femina Potens Gallery on Market Street (FP produced the tour). We slowly wound our way around several blocks to Dubose Park. On route we shared our past eco-erotic experiences/stories with each other, everyone found their e-spots, sniffed, tasted, and licked nature’s delicious trees, rocks, plants and sensuous abundance. We stopped into a wood furniture shop for a sniff and a poem about the erotic love of nature. There was a cactus vagina dentate, a mistletoe moment, and a tree with a marble clitoris. The tour climaxed on top of a breast like grassy knoll when we all formed a circle and facilitated people’s sacred vows to be lovers with the Earth. A good ecosexually satisfying time was had by all. Photos by Malia Schlaefer and the Love Art Lab.

Boston Public Garden, November 15, 2009

We spent a rainy November day in the heart of the Boston Gardens, exploring the Earth’s sensual delights.  On this tour we encountered roses blooming, sexy burls, carpets of yellow leaves, old friends and new.  We also heard the enchanting story of the lesbian swans who used to swim in the garden lake.  A lovely erotic day.