1. And at the cutting edge of modern art…
Russell Grenning
Perhaps it was by accident and not by design that London art student Clayton Pettet
announced his innovative, trail-blazing, cutting edge, challenging, confronting and
controversial new project, “Art School Stole My Virginity” on St Valentine’s Day.
Perhaps it is academic to wonder about the timing of the announcement but there is
absolutely no doubt at all that Mr Pettet’s “work” will be innovative, trail-blazing,
cutting edge, challenging, confronting and controversial. How can I be sure of that?
Well, because he said so and he is a student at London’s Central Saint Martin’s Art
School which is in itself, innovative, trail-blazing and all of the rest.
What Mr Pettet, who is out and proud and gay, has planned for January 25 next year –
and isn’t it lovely to have something to look forward to? – is a piece of “performance
art” during which he and his anonymous male partner will have sex in front of an
invited audience of 100 and, gasp, – the thrill and wonderment of it all -, he will
actually lose his virginity.
Of course we only have his word he still has his virginity and, indeed, will keep that
precious gift intact until January 25, 2015, but I for one accept that he has and will
because his work is all about “honesty” as well as being innovative, trail-blazing etc
etc … well, you get the drift by now I’m sure.
Following this performance, he and his partner will “launch a question and answer
session in a bid to challenge the idea of sexuality”. It sounds so thrilling although I
am not all that pea-green with jealously to be frank. For some reason I have recalled
an invitation I received from a couple I know who invited me, and others, to a
screening of the video showing the home birth of their kiddie. Declining the invitation
as politely as I could I told them that I didn’t even want to see the video of them well,
you know, creating the kiddie.
But back to Clayton Pettet who has announced that he has held on to his virginity for
19 years and is not “throwing it away lightly”. Good for him – and neither did I
although I denied 100 of my then nearest and dearest – well, as far as I can recall
since it was circa 1966 – the dubious enjoyment of watching. I mean it was all right
for me but, well, I suspect it was not a truly polished performance that would have
had art critics swooning with excitement.
I do hope that there will be no snide, tasteless references to a “Clayton’s
performance” because clearly it is anything but and, again equally obviously, there
won’t be because there can’t be a dress (should that be ‘undress’?) rehearsal.
“The key thing about performance art is that it should be performed once, and this is
the ultimate once-in-a-lifetime performance,” our fearless artist explained somewhat
unnecessarily as I thought as it sounded to me like a statement of the bleeding bloody
obvious.

2. “Basically it’s like I’m losing the stigma around virginity,” he added. Not just the
“stigma” I thought but that was just me being prudish. He continued, “I want the
audience to see if anything has changed between me and my partner. Since culturally
we do hold quite a lot of value to the idea of virginity, I have decided to use mine and
the loss of it to create a piece that I think will stimulate interesting debate and
questions regarding the subject.”
I assume that this “piece” will not be preceded by olde worlde things like a nice
dinner, a show, a bit of a grope in the taxi on the way home and a nervous invitation
to come up and see my etchings or have a cuppa or whatever. I guess that the once-
traditional post-coital ciggie is a no-no as well.
If Mr Pettet thinks that by abandoning these culturally inhibiting and socially
crippling traditions prior to – well, “doing it” -he is in the vanguard of artistic
expression, then he couldn’t be more wrong. I seem to recall my initial experience
was preceded by little more than a blushingly embarrassing, “Well, do ya wanna do
it?”
Central Saint Martins in London, known to us artistic types as CSM, prides itself on
being innovative, trail-blazing…oh, I have mentioned that before.
Indeed, its informative website, is written in that edgy, nervously excitable way that
presumably appeals to wanna-be artists.
It is, it says with no false modesty, “… one of the leading centres for art and design
education, a reputation based around the achievement of its graduates and the
creative energy of its current staff and students.”
It proudly boasts: “The College inspires its students and staff to be alert to new
approaches and ideas; the resulting journey can be challenging but is never dull…”
Well, here I must question this assertion and, in fact, raise a question that I am sure
has occurred to Mr Pettet himself.
All of this hyperbole is revealed as a shabby fraud and a cheap deceit in my view
because good old CMS has reacted in an artistically crushing way. Tutt-tutting that
Mr Pettet’s project “is not a part of his course work and does not have the school’s
endorsement”, CMS sounded like an elderly maiden aunt.
This innovative, trail-blazing – you know the rest – higher education institute has
solemnly announced that, “Staff are discussing with him the implications, both legal
and emotional, of the performance and he is exploring the possibility of alternative
means of expression.”
Who would have guessed until this announcement that CMS has on its staff both
lawyers and psychiatrists! And while we are on the subject of artistic honesty, Mr
Pettet might like to give some thought to renaming his proposed performance; after all

3. “Art School Stole My Virginity” hardly seems to be true given their censorious
declarations.
But I do hope that these wet blankets don’t deter Mr Pettet. After all, he is only doing
what the CMS website has challenged him to do and be “…come and join us in this
exciting adventure. You could be the next. Be brave and do what you love.”