In December 1987, Mary Beth Edelson, Gloria Orenstein, Clive Philpot, Elinor Gadon, Hank Gile, and Maura Sheehan performed a healing ritual for Carolee Schneemann at Mary Beth Edelson’s studio on 110 Mercer Street, New York, NY.

As a feminist artist, Edelson often staged her performance art in nature, incorporating goddess imagery to connect to women’s empowerment and feminine energy. She and Schneemann were part of a cohort known as, “first generation feminist-artists.”

This ritual exemplifies the embodiment of feminist art and performance as a medium. It began with Schneemann changing her clothes and meditating alone, while the others discussed the ritual steps, such as noise-making, and practiced.

During the ritual, the group read from Descent to the Goddess, by Sylvia Perera, a text that explores women’s freedom and moving away from male domination.