English transition: British artist Anya Gallaccio lives in her native England because it allows her to be with her American partner. But that's not where she'd choose to be.

Renowned British artist Anya Gallaccio has always been drawn to the concept of transition. That's why in 1996 she constructed a 34 ton ice sculpture inside an abandoned London water station and packed it with rock salt to make it melt faster.

No surprise, then, that the 41-year-old artist fell in love with an American woman, entering a binational relationship dependent on the changing landscape of immigration law. Gallaccio, a Glasgow, Scotland, native, met fellow artist Kelly, 33, whose last name she declined to give, while living in San Francisco in 2002. The couple later moved to England--in London's Whitechapel area---where they have a better chance of staying together.

In America spousal immigration rights do not extend to same-sex partners, who are usually dependent on work or vacation visas that quickly expire. They often must stay illegally and live in secrecy to remain with their loved ones. In many cases deportation forces couples apart indefinitely. The United Kingdom, however, allows nonresident same-sex partners to apply for partnership status after two years. It's far from perfect, as partners still must obtain some kind of visa that will last through that waiting period.

Gallaccio, who in the past shunned labels such as "woman artist" or "lesbian," has since become somewhat of a reluctant advocate for gay-inclusive immigration law. "I am a responsible person with a strong sense of civic duty, so I don't feel comfortable with the idea that I am a criminal just by trying to be with the person that I love," she says. "In certain situations I feel that I have some sort of moral duty to stand up and be counted."

Gallaccio and Kelly are considering moving back to California next fall, where Kelly wants to study for her master of fine arts degree. But it depends on Gallaccio getting a work visa in the United States. "Anya and Kelly are typical of many binational couples seeking only to be together with the person they love," says Matthew Davies, a lawyer for the U.K. Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group. While legislation to provide immigration rights to same--sex couples in the United States has been languishing in Congress for years, conditions may soon ease in Britain if a proposed civil partnership bill--currently before parliament--passes into law as expected next year. "The two-year rule is likely to be relaxed," Davies says. "Registered partnerships will be treated equally with marriage."

That would make Gallaccio happy, but it doesn't mean she'll be settling down in her homeland. She likes the experiences she's had with living in San Francisco and New York. "I would say that in terms of comparing London to those cities, that the situation here [for same-sex couples] is much more discreet and still quite undercover," she says. "The situation in Holland seems to be the most open and closest to my experience in San Francisco, where gay women are visibly identifiable in mainstream day-to-day living."