When performance artist Maria Yoon said “I do” at Times Square in New York City this May, it wasn’t the first time — it was her 50th.
Maria, a first generation Korean-American, felt pressure to get hitched at a young age from both her parents and the Korean-American community. In response, she became “Maria the Korean Bride,” and set out to hold a wedding in all 50 states opposite a revolving cast of “spouses.” The performance series was designed to bring attention to the social pressures and ostracism Maria has endured and explore how getting married is seen in other cultures.
Most of Maria’s grooms were found online, through friends or by chance encounters. Since each wedding was an art project, the groom’s only commitment was to show up and read the vows Maria wrote for each ceremony. But there were unusual spouses along the way, too: A 1,200-lb. Angus bull, a $2 million thoroughbred horse named “Unbridled Song” and a Miller Brewery Company T-shirt. She’s turned the ceremonies into a documentary piece to talk about binding love.
Maria is also a museum educator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and describes her artistic work as a creation of installation and performance that combine various elements like photography-collage, drawings and video.