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Elizabeth Peyton’s (Not So) Welcome Home

Ridykeulous, an art collective comprised of A.L. Steiner (an artist with John Connelly Presents and a member of electropop group Chicks on Speed) and Nicole Eisenman (who is represented by Leo Koenig), had planned to throw a party to “welcome back Elizabeth Peyton as a gay” at the West Village lesbian bar, the Cubby Hole, on February 5. Steiner and Eisenman distributed invitations for the event, showing Peyton’s self-portrait “Live to Ride” (2003) defaced with “Welcome Home” banners and smiley faces. “Join us and help decide which drink will immortalize the gay honor of Ms. Peyton: Peyton’s Tinkle, Peyton with Cream-on-Top, The Peyton Shady Gaffe,” the invitation read. “The Shady Gaffe involves a lot of clams mixed with the blood of a sorority girl,” Steiner explained. Until the day of the fête, Peyton hadn’t made a peep. “We tried to contact her publicist, lawyer, and personal trainer, but to no avail,” Steiner said.

But hours before the party was scheduled to start, Steiner and Eisenman called it off, saying they had received “what we interpret as a cease-and-desist letter” from Peyton’s lawyer. “The Peyton camp informed us that they didn’t want the party,” Steiner said. Peyton declined comment, but her rep added that “there was no ‘cease-and-desist.’”

Peyton was previously married to Argentinean artist Rirkrit Tiravanija. The two divorced in 2004.

Elizabeth Peyton’s (Not So) Welcome Home