Celebrated London artist Charlie Murphy continues her ‘kiss-in’ tour to collect the casts of over 100 kisses with a Holy kiss-in at the 291 Gallery, London.

Charlie Murphy is bringing her hugely popular ‘kiss-in’ event to 291 as a casting party with a difference. The London artist is looking for cheeky couples, threesomes and more, willing to help her become the first person in the world to collect over 100 kiss casts.

Dressed in dental outfits, Charlie Murphy and her assistants invite locals and strangers to literally become part of the controversial event, which is being held at the 291 Gallery & Bar, Hackney Rd on Thursday 30th May as part of as part a three-year international tour.

Each couple or group of snoggers is invited or propositioned to donate a cast of their kiss to the project. A quick setting dental casting material is spooned into their mouths and they kiss each other; holding their pose for a minute until the cast sets. The casts are later transformed into glass trophies as part of an ongoing project, which visualizes forms of desire shaped by the body through erotic objects, video and photography.

This humorous and intriguing process is recorded on digital video and will be filmed at this event for an Ideal World Productions documentary about kissing, for Channel 4.You are invited to be part of the action and to donate a screen kiss to the project.

The party starts from 8pm and will include short video screenings and smoochy tunes. Aphrodisiacs are encouraged. Exhibitionists welcome.

Notes to the editor:

Charlie Murphy graduated from the Royal College of Art in 1999 and is based in London.She works with glass, video and photography and live art. Her work is regularly exhibited both in the UK and internationally.The sculpture installation of which the kiss cast will be a part will be held in London in 2007.

Charlie said: “I have had an incredible response from people all over the world since I launched the kiss-in event in London in 2000. It is amazing that people are willing to stand up and kiss in public and donate such an intimate and precious part of their relationship to my project. I have collected some extraordinary kisses and stories in the process”.

“Each mouth and way of kissing and it creates a unique expression of desire; it is a wet, writhing form that is delivered like a birth from peoples mouths. Each couple reveals some intimate dynamic in their relationship through the inadvertent gestures they make in the duration of their kiss".

“I am fascinated by the way people kiss and I want to capture the completely different forms they produce. The finished artwork in glass is not only unique but highly erotic. It is an extraordinarily intimate love token, a kiss which will last forever”.