In the LGBTQ community, kissing as protest has a long history: from Queer Nation’s Kiss-Ins to today’s Russia, where people recently kissed to protest legislation that banned “homosexual propaganda.” Kiss Up participants will be invited to enter a tent on Church Street and kiss in front of a red-curtained backdrop. These impromptu make-out sessions will be captured on video and streamed live to two locations.

Pearl Van Geest has been working with the kiss and the trace of the kiss in her artwork for that past 15 years. She has exhibited extensively since graduating from OCAD in 1996 and recently completed her MFA at the University of Windsor.