Student To Lose His Virginity During Art Installation

art school student loses virginity in front of class

Can sex be construed as art? A 19-year-old Londoner thinks so. According to an article in the CBC, Clayton Pettet has safeguarded his virginity for so long, he doesn't want to let it go easily. Hence the headline grabbing installation entitled "Art School Stole My Virginity," which will see the St Martins student having sex for the first time in front of an audience of between 50 and 100 on Jan. 25, 2013.

"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," Pettet said.

Though he claims his intent is to "[lose] the stigma around virginity," it begs the question: can live sex—even gay sex, even first-time sex—ever be considered art?

This from a guy who insists on capping the word Virginity. "The whole aspect of Virginity was incredibly emotional for me and has been ever since," he wrote.

Hm, it's so emotional for him that he has to do it in front of a live audience. It's not the Price is Right, people. While I'm not so naive as to believe that your first time has to be all rose-petal laden satin sheets and candlelight, I do believe it's a personal experience. Not a sideshow, not a 'performance.' Ditto to child birth...

You call it: an act of pure narcissism or artistic merit?