Miguel Nelson will be orchestrating the general flow and placement for the wedding.

High Desert Test Sites, Margarita Oasis - Mercedes Mirage, 2006 / Shiner (Soul-Train-style performance) Smog Shoppe, 2009

from the blog when we first visited him with Jon and Liz:

Liz, Jon and I met at Marvimon downtown- well, after I got completely lost, both called them three times and pulled over to the side of the road three times trying to arrive. Not fun showing up to a meeting all tangled up, and it was cold and I wasn't layered enough. Despite these bumps in the road, the conversation/process was truly useful and enlightening, though as some conversations go, took a while to gel. But from the get go, Miguel was kind and inviting and informative. Miguel owns this and the Smog Shoppe, as well as conceiving and heading up the Woolley Pocket company: click here to learn more about vertical sustainable gardening.

I don't think our budget will be able to bear the cost of either of his event spaces, but they are incredibly seductive and aesthetically right on target, subjectively speaking. I am in awe of the consideration and originality of every detail. Also, he has really perfected the flow of a good event and brought up so many factors we'd not yet thought of. But, I remind myself, we've never done this before - we are learning (big curve of that ahead) - so I forgive us for not knowing: how to park people/seat them/feed them/keep them entertained, let alone fitting in the ceremony itself. I think I've got the entertainment part covered though - it will be dynamic: all the elements will have been rethought/presented differently than any movie or real-time marriage memory. Also invaluable was to hear Jon and Liz talk more about what they are interested in and why. My respect for them grows with each encounter.

I did think the talk should have been more about Miguel's artistic contribution to the project than the workings of the space, but we got there in the end with a bit of verbal nudging. It took a little while for him to remember signing up for this (it was a year ago when he did so), but after I went over the list of artists and their role in the ceremony, the inception of the idea, and why I chose Liz and Jon (not necessarily in that order), he seemed to understand and was more excited/interested. His is to be the artist in charge of the presentation/concept of the social aspect of food and has done many unique visionary art projects involving gatherings, food and/or drink.

Overall the experience helped me immensely, since sometimes when you repeat why you are doing something out loud in front of others, it helps you to remember why you are doing it.

Click here for the website

Miguel Nelson is a jack of many trades. Primarily he makes sculpture through semi-choreographed, self-documenting social situations. These can seem like parties on stage sets, staged rituals or even seance. Food and drink and cameras often play a role. It can be difficult to differentiate his work from collaborations with others. At times, one may not be sure Nelson played a hand at all. Regardless, an experience of some sort will be there to be had.

Click here for a recent article in the LA Weekly

Click here for his website