Is This The Place
Mesa

“Arizona lies in the Mormon Belt, which stretches across the vast American West from the Colorado Rockies to the Pacific Ocean, reaching up into the Canadian prairie provinces and down into Mexico. It’s in this belt—especially Utah, the big buckle—that Mormons are most influential in U.S. politics".
-Lisa Neff, The Advocate, April 12, 2005

click image above for more pictures

Tuesday, October 24th, 2006 at 7 am

HOTLINE: 480-274-5181 (currently not in service)

Ellsworth & Katan will walk approximately 20 miles
from Modified Arts (407 E. Roosevelt) in downtown Phoenix to the Mormon Temple in Mesa, Arizona. This walk will be the second "love walk" they have made together. The first walk took place in Los Angeles in 2004.

In an attempt to connect with Ellsworth's foremothers and forefathers, Ellsworth and Katan cross a treacherous terrain to arrive at the Momon Temple in order to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to long for a space that is their own and to unite with a space that refuses to claim them as their own. Is This The Place forges the "Ellsworth and Katan Trail" and is inspired by Brigham Young’s “This is the Place” monument in Salt Lake City, Utah where Ellsworth was raised as a Mormon. As opposed to Young’s commanding ownership of space, Is This The Place poses questions about belonging and longing as it relates to space. Is This The Place traverses the boundaries of Phoenix and its outer historical limits to explore contemporary notions of “pioneer,” “outlaw,” and “social embeddedness” in relation to cultural and political issues around gay marriage and domestic partnership in the state of Arizona. 

To unbuckle and unleash some of these issues, Angela Ellsworth and her partner Tania Katan will walk approximately 20 miles from downtown Phoenix to the Mormon Temple in Mesa, Arizona. Equipped with handcarts, comfortable walking shoes, electrolytes, water, and food they walk until they reach the Mormon Temple. Finding a peaceful place on the temple grounds they exchange commitment vows and embrace in a hug. They complete the walk by crossing the street to Pioneer Park where they “cut the cake” and celebrate their love with all who are present.

Brochures with maps can be picked up at Modified Arts beginning October 14th. Viewers are invited to join the walk with Ellsworth and Katan on October 24th as pioneer companions or as part of the support team (see HOTLINE # below). After the original trek has taken place people can re-experience the Ellsworth & Katan Trail by following directions on the informational map. People are also encouraged to create their own customized trail inscribed with their own “pioneer” and “outlaw” intensions.

Is This The Place is an on-going-multi-disciplinary project consisting of maps, documents, photographs and interventions. Is This The Place walks the space where private and public collide and create a veritable trail mix of contentious bodies, debatable boundaries, and unpredictable outlaws.

If you would like to join them for part of the walk (or be part of their support team on foot, motor vehicle or bicycle) please return to this site in mid October for a map with exact route and details, or email them at

slctheplace@yahoo.com
A suggestion for support team would be to meet them at street corners along the route to cheer them on or come to the park to eat wedding cake at the end of the walk.
To reach Ellsworth & Katan please call the Hotline.

HOTLINE: 480-274-5181 (currently not in service)