About the Artwork
Kissing gates are iconic pieces of spatial punctuation throughout rural landscapes. Couples who pass through these gates traditionally exchange a kiss to mark their journey and that of those who came before them. The design of the kissing gate is unique as the mechanism itself is an intermediate space between entrance and exit. A hinged gate where the door never closes, enabling free thoroughfare for some and causing restriction for others.
Kissing Gate is an interactive installation to queer urban pedestrian experiences and invite romantic interactions between strangers. Never fully open or fully closed, Kissing Gate is an encounter with no right of way – a hyphen, not a period.
Previously exhibited between gallery spaces at the Royal Scottish Academy, New Contemporaries, Edinburgh 2023.
Year: 2023
Copyright Maya Rose Edwards. Photo © Nick Turpin.
Material
Timber, iron fixings, public footpath sign
Dimensions
150cm x 150cm x variable