Gay and straight students marry in the name of art
A gay man and a straight woman have married for an art project.
University of Worcester art students Paul Cartwright, 20, and Nora Battenberg-Cartwright, 21, see their union as a piece of art and co-ordinate their outfits every day.
Mr Cartwright is gay and the close friends, in their second year, say they will not consummate their marriage.
They wed in Germany, Ms Battenberg-Cartwright’s home country, in December.
Mr Cartwright told the Worcester News: “It’s about an artistic unity rather than a love union, to join each other in art and make us the art.
“It’s a really truthful marriage and we will still see other people.”
Ms Battenberg-Cartwright added: “We work collaboratively on everything, there isn’t a clear line between our work and our tutors have agreed to mark us together.”
The couple were photographed for the Worcester News in matching shoes and similar clothes.
Dr James Fisher, head of Fine Art at the University of Worcester, described the pair as “serious students” and “committed artists”.
Homophobic preacher Stephen Green, of the small extremist group Christian Voice, told the Daily Mail that the couple were “denigrating” marriage and said it was “no coincidence” that one was a gay man.
