By Producer Alan Rogers in London
Living in the UK means (and particularly London) you stumble upon Banksy’s now and then. Earlier this year I found one whilst walking round a headland on the Essex coast between Harwich (the English coastal town where the Mayflower was built) and Dovercourt (where it wasn’t), just along the peninsula. There, at a popular fishing spot was an unmistakable Banksy (he never signs his work) showing a boy with a fishing rod having caught a covid mask on the end of it.
Note someone (presumably the council) has kindly added a perspex cover to stop the artwork from being destroyed by local artistes, perhaps missing the point entirely.
Recently, whilst on holiday near La Rochelle, a small French coastal town on the bay of Biscay; I played pool for the first time since my teens. My muscle memory was entirely lost. The cue felt awkward in my hands. I couldn’t find a comfortable way of bridging my fingers on the table, and I miscalculated all my angles.
The game seemed to go on forever with both of us apologising to each other for our uselessness. Beer (for once) did not help.
But enough about me and my selfish bleats. Tis nought. Feverish is no excuse for attention whoreism*
*Made up word. But it fits.
PAVLOV’S WHORE
IN 1927, RUSSIAN PSYCHOLOGIST IVAN PAVLOV
DEVELOPED THE THEORY OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING REFERS TO THE BEHAVIOURAL
AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES BROUGHT ABOUT BY
EXPERIENCING A PREDICTIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
A NEUTRAL STIMULUS AND A CONSEQUENT
SIGNIFICANT EVENT
THE THEORY OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
IS BETTER KNOWN TODAY AS PAVLOV’S DOG
Whenever I hear of this, I always think of the ‘Barenaked Ladies’ song: Brian Wilson. The song is of course about the most talented of the Beach Boys brothers who wrote most of their most famous hits. He also suffered badly from addiction and had a famous mental breakdown in which he reportedly spent a year in bed. Anyways the song is fun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch84fmOa414
IN HIS EXPERIMENTS, PAVLOV SOUNDED A BELL
WHILE PRESENTING FOOD TO A DOG,
THEREBY STIMULATING THE NATURAL FLOW
OF SALIVA IN THE DOG’S MOUTH
AFTER THE PROCEDURE WAS REPEATED SEVERAL TIMES,
THE DOG WOULD SALIVATE AT THE SOUND OF THE BELL,
EVEN WHEN NO FOOD WAS PRESENTED
YOU CAN APPLY THE THEORY OF PAVLOV’S DOG
TO MANY THINGS IN EVERYDAY LIFE
THINGS AS DIVERSE AS
THE INTERNATIONAL ART AUCTION MARKET,
THE CREATION OF ARTISTIC VALUE,
PERFORMATIVE ART,
EROTIC FILM MAKING AND SEX ON POOL TABLES
ART IS THE ULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF ANARCHY
IT REBELS AGAINST THE EXPECTATIONS OF CONFORMITY
ACT 1
GIRL WITH THE PAVLOVIAN BALLOON
LONDON 2018
I was there. Somewhere. Not in Sothebys I hasten to add.
TITLES
THINGS AS FRAGILE
AS A THOUGHT
THEY CAN GO ON AND ON FOREVER
ANOTHER PSYCHO PORN TRAIT
ACT 2
GIRL WITH THE PAVLOVIAN POOL CUE
CRESCENT HEAD AUSTRALIA
2010 – 2019
CRESCENT HEAD IS A COASTAL HAVEN
WHERE I SOUGHT SOLACE AND LIBERATION IN 2010
PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL
I HAD ONE NOTABLE UNFULFILLED FANTASY
THAT FANTASY LINGERED LIKE A PERSISTENT WHISPER
AND IT CALLED ME TO THE LOCAL POOL TABLE
IN THIS SLEEPY LITTLE SURFING TOWN.
ABOUT TEN YEARS EARLIER
I MET A GIRL AT A PARTY
AFTER WAY TOO MANY RED WINES
SHE TOLD ME HER FANTASY
BEING FUCKED ON A POOL TABLE BY MANY MEN
Seems quite a specific fantasy tbh.
AND BY OSMOSIS IT BECAME MY FANTASY
THERE WAS A SINGLE POOL TABLE IN THIS TOWN
IT BECAME MY STAGE
And cage. I am sorry, that just slipped out of my thoughts.
SMOKE FILLED ROOM. LUSTFUL GAZES
I BECAME PAVLOV’S WHORE
CHAINED TO THE TABLE. REWARDED WITH PLEASURE
I BASKED IN THE FULFILMENT OF MY FANTASY
LIBERATED AND UNLEASHED
THE CONDITIONING OF STIMULI AND RESPONSE
You have discussed the stigma surrounding domination and submission themes before. Though not explicitly. There is a lot of confusion and distrust surrounding these themes I feel.
People with ‘vanilla’ tastes, tend to not understand the power dynamics in a BDSM relationship. To the conservative mind, it is all too debauched.
They can never grasp the concept that a submissive has a need to be dominated sexually that is deep set. That the submissive has no desire to be dominated in anything other than a sexual scenario, but when put into a scene, the submissive will surrender control almost unconditionally.
Such is the need and desire to please.
The same exists for the dominant. They do not have any desire to punish anyone outside of a sexual scenario. But get sexual arousal from punishing a submissive sexually, whether that is is physical or mental punishment. A good dominant will of course know that the sexual pleasure taken from punishment has limits, and will seek boundaries.
It is clear to me that you were in such a relationship at the time, and regardless of whether this is fantasy or reality, the ‘scene’ is definitely one of domination and submission. Normally this would have to take place somewhere where ‘like minded’ people were likely to be found. In my experience, most people do not have the capacity to understand the power dynamics involved.
THE CUE OF THE POOL TABLE
TRIGGERED MY DEEP DESIRES
I BECAME THE EMBODIMENT OF CONDITIONED ANTICIPATION
The cue made your vagina salivate?
MY FANTASY WAS AN ECHO
OF PAVLOV’S EXPERIMENT
THAT POOL TABLE TAUGHT ME A VALUABLE LESSON
SOMEDAYS YOUR’E THE CUE BALL
SOMEDAYS YOUR’E THE EIGHT BALL
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE
I do not understand this metaphor. But perhaps I am thinking too literal again. The cue ball cannot be pocketed. The eight ball has to be pocketed last? The cue ball is traditionally white. The eight ball is traditionally black? Perhaps you are implying a multi-racial participation in the games.
YOU WOULD
BE SURPRISED
WHAT YOUR’E
CAPABLE OF
@CRESENT HEAD
IN ALL THE TIME I SPENT IN THAT POOL ROOM
AND ALL THE TIME I SPENT ON THE BEACH
THERE IS ONE THING NOBODY EVER SAID TO ME
PLEASE STOP SUCKING MY DICK…
OR I’LL CALL THE CRESCENT HEAD POLICE
I know you include this for comedic effect. But the point is valid. You are imagining the roles reversed.
THANKS FOR PROTECTING MY SECRETS
CRESCENT HEAD SLSC
KEMPSEY COUNCIL
DUNGHUTTI ELDERS
KEMPSEY POLICE
THE GREEN ROOM
AUSTRALIA POST
CHANCHITAS
SURFARIS
ELDERS
AND EVERYONE WHO PLAYED POOL ON FRIDAY NIGHTS
In most fantasy scenarios the game starts with the only female pool (or any other game probably) player suggesting they play for money, then barters her clothes instead. She intentionally (or otherwise) loses each game until she is naked, then plays for sexual favours.
In this scenario, the girl is always in control. Your brief synopsis suggests this is not a typical fantasy scenario. More like you were chained to a table and gang fucked. But you include the list of those involved in your fantasy to validate and convince of its authenticity. I like that.
LOOK LISTEN AND TAKE HEED
WOMEN
KNOW YOUR LIMITS
I remember this sketch when it was first aired. The comedy comes from the fact that through each generation the patriarchy is getting weaker, so when we look back on past generations, they seem absurdly sexist.
It is a little unfair to judge them though. They were conditioned to behave that way by a society that strongly believed in male dominance. Feminists will scream at the injustice of it all, but the answer is not in equality in my humble opinion.
If men and women were equal, there would be no sexual identification. Women and Men would wear the same clothes. Do the same jobs. Drink the same drinks etc. Sexual provocation would be unwelcome. Shave everyones heads and faces. All wear boiler suits. Orwellian? What a horrible thought.
My utopia is more one of sexual freedom. Where people can express their sexuality however they see fit. That all forms of sexuality are recognised and understood. Where BDSM, Fetish, Gay, and transgender sexual relationships are not penalised in favour of heterosexual vanilla sex.
Equality for me is one of respect. Men and Women should respect each other and afford each other the same rights and privileges and opportunities. Beyond that we should celebrate our differences and try and find more and interesting ways to sexually arouse ourselves and others.
EPILOGUE
THE CREATION OF ARTISTIC VALUE
[MONEY IN THE BANKSY]BEHIND THE BANKSY STUNT / NPR
‘GIRL WITH BALLOON’
SOLD FOR $1 MILLION IN 2018
TO AN UNKNOWN BUYER
THREE YEARS LATER THE SAME ARTWORK,
NOW SHREDDED AND RETITLED ‘LOVE IS IN THE BIN’
SOLD FOR A RECORD $23 MILLION AT AUCTION
SOTHEBY’S REFUSED TO NAME THE BUYER
WHO PAID $1M IN 2018 FOR ‘GIRL WITH BALLOON’
MANY IN THE ART WORLD BELIEVE
BANKSY WAS THE BUYER OF HIS OWN ART
It makes the most logical sense that he was.
THOSE SAME INSIDERS BELIEVE
THAT HE WAS THE SELLER IN 2021
IF THAT IS TRUE,
WITH ONE CAREFULLY PLANNED STUNT,
HE POCKETED $22 MILLION THREE YEARS LATER
FOR YEARS BANKSY HAD COMPLAINED THAT
MULTI-NATIONAL AUCTION HOUSES AND BILLIONAIRE
COLLECTORS WERE RIPPING HIM OFF BY MAKING
HUGE SUMS BUYING AND SELLING HIS ART,
WHILE HE, AS THE ARTIST, DID NOT BENEFIT
FINANCIALLY FROM THESE TRANSACTIONS
THERE ARE FOUR BASIC HUMAN NEEDS:
FOOD, SLEEP, SEX AND REVENGE
• BANKSY
‘MONEY OVER LOVE’ 2022 BANKSY
“IT WAS ONE ART WORK, AND THEN IT BECAME ANOTHER.
AND THIS CAME ABOUT THROUGH A PUBLIC ACTION”
• BEHIND THE BANKSY STUNT / NPR
COMING IN 2024, A PUBLIC ACTION
YOU CAN SHRED A PEICE OF ART OR YOU CAN SHRED A WHOLE STORYLINE
NO MATTER HOW VALUABLE YOU OR YOUR IDEAS ARE
EXTORTIONISTS WILL PLAY ON BOTH
I DON’T BELIEVE IN ANYTHING
I’M ONLY HERE FOR THE INTELLECTUAL VIOLENCE
• BANKSY
THIS IS HOW TO MAKE YOURSELF
VANISH INTO NOTHING
TILL WE MEET AGAIN
MISSY
Intriguing end to the story here.
The arc of the project has taken in a number of evolutionary steps.
I adore your talent. You are (first and foremost) a poet a film maker, a director and a talented video montage producer. You stun us with your boldness and vision, pushing for a mainstream voice for unspoken taboo subjects. That is something worth fighting (and paying) for. You not only appear naked in your own video’s but take that further and explore your own sexuality in public. You are wonderful.
In the evolutionary process and through moving providers your videos have become DRM secured. That is understandable from a corporate point of view, and I am sure artistically it is a moot point, but it means that your videos, though public facing, can never be public property. If your website crashes. Nobody has access to your latest films at all.
You therefore have the ability to shred your own artwork. Those of us who might have copies of your earlier work, will have some video’s to remember you by. But newer fans will have nothing but memories. That would be very Banksy.
Keep doing this Missy. I could not live without Art. I could not live without erotica. And I could not imagine a world without philosophical discussion. These are your key ingredients and I adore the recipes that you invent to produce these dishes.
Yours,