Banksy Street Art on Reading Prison

[mohawk21]

Amazing .... loved seeing him create the piece!!!

Definitely a favourite

[bert]

Love the video and the piece. It's perfectly placed and quite audacious as that road is busy.

It's a big boost for the local campaign to turn the prison into an arts hub too, very cool of Banksy to lend his support.

[crogoblin]

That’s settled then!

[Daylight Robber]

Mar 1, 2021 11:34:44 GMT 1 AJ said:

The same two Bobbies that feature in the Banksy video?

[Knowss]

Mar 1, 2021 13:33:49 GMT 1 Dive Jedi said:

Since I had no idea what this was all about I did some searching :

The Ballad of Reading Gaol is a poem by Oscar Wilde, written in exile in Berneval-le-Grand, after his release from Reading Gaol (/rɛ.dɪŋ.dʒeɪl/) on 19 May 1897. Wilde had been incarcerated in Reading after being convicted of gross indecency with other men in 1895 and sentenced to two years' hard labour in prison.

During his imprisonment, on Tuesday, 7 July 1896, a hanging took place. Charles Thomas Wooldridge had been a trooper in the Royal Horse Guards. He was convicted of cutting the throat of his wife, Laura Ellen,[1] earlier that year at Clewer, near Windsor. He was aged 30 when executed.[2][3]

Wilde wrote the poem in mid-1897 while staying with Robert Ross in Berneval-le-Grand. The poem narrates the execution of Wooldridge; it moves from an objective story-telling to symbolic identification with the prisoners as a whole.[4] No attempt is made to assess the justice of the laws which convicted them, but rather the poem highlights the brutalisation of the punishment that all convicts share. Wilde juxtaposes the executed man and himself with the line "Yet each man kills the thing he loves".[5] Wilde too was separated from his wife and sons. He adopted the proletarian ballad form, and suggested it be published in Reynold's Magazine, "because it circulates widely among the criminal classes – to which I now belong – for once I will be read by my peers – a new experience for me".[6]

This explains why Bob Ross was included in the video... Brilliant

[trapnel1]

Mar 4, 2021 18:29:39 GMT 1 Knowss said:

Mar 1, 2021 13:33:49 GMT 1 Dive Jedi said:

Since I had no idea what this was all about I did some searching :

The Ballad of Reading Gaol is a poem by Oscar Wilde, written in exile in Berneval-le-Grand, after his release from Reading Gaol (/rɛ.dɪŋ.dʒeɪl/) on 19 May 1897. Wilde had been incarcerated in Reading after being convicted of gross indecency with other men in 1895 and sentenced to two years' hard labour in prison.

During his imprisonment, on Tuesday, 7 July 1896, a hanging took place. Charles Thomas Wooldridge had been a trooper in the Royal Horse Guards. He was convicted of cutting the throat of his wife, Laura Ellen,[1] earlier that year at Clewer, near Windsor. He was aged 30 when executed.[2][3]

Wilde wrote the poem in mid-1897 while staying with Robert Ross in Berneval-le-Grand. The poem narrates the execution of Wooldridge; it moves from an objective story-telling to symbolic identification with the prisoners as a whole.[4] No attempt is made to assess the justice of the laws which convicted them, but rather the poem highlights the brutalisation of the punishment that all convicts share. Wilde juxtaposes the executed man and himself with the line "Yet each man kills the thing he loves".[5] Wilde too was separated from his wife and sons. He adopted the proletarian ballad form, and suggested it be published in Reynold's Magazine, "because it circulates widely among the criminal classes – to which I now belong – for once I will be read by my peers – a new experience for me".[6]

This explains why Bob Ross was included in the video... Brilliant

 And The Ballad of Reading Gaol was published under a pseudonym -  C.3.3. (Oscar Wilde's cell number) - so nobody knew who the author was (until some time later).     The third edition (limited to 99 copies) was signed by Wilde, but it wasn't until after the 7th edition was published that the name of the author was widely known. 

[Coach]

Mar 1, 2021 13:33:49 GMT 1 Dive Jedi said:

Since I had no idea what this was all about I did some searching :

The Ballad of Reading Gaol is a poem by Oscar Wilde, written in exile in Berneval-le-Grand, after his release from Reading Gaol (/rɛ.dɪŋ.dʒeɪl/) on 19 May 1897. Wilde had been incarcerated in Reading after being convicted of gross indecency with other men in 1895 and sentenced to two years' hard labour in prison.

During his imprisonment, on Tuesday, 7 July 1896, a hanging took place. Charles Thomas Wooldridge had been a trooper in the Royal Horse Guards. He was convicted of cutting the throat of his wife, Laura Ellen,[1] earlier that year at Clewer, near Windsor. He was aged 30 when executed.[2][3]

Wilde wrote the poem in mid-1897 while staying with Robert Ross in Berneval-le-Grand. The poem narrates the execution of Wooldridge; it moves from an objective story-telling to symbolic identification with the prisoners as a whole.[4] No attempt is made to assess the justice of the laws which convicted them, but rather the poem highlights the brutalisation of the punishment that all convicts share. Wilde juxtaposes the executed man and himself with the line "Yet each man kills the thing he loves".[5] Wilde too was separated from his wife and sons. He adopted the proletarian ballad form, and suggested it be published in Reynold's Magazine, "because it circulates widely among the criminal classes – to which I now belong – for once I will be read by my peers – a new experience for me".[6]

It’s probably also worth bearing in mind that Wilde wrote De Profundis whilst he was in prison at Reading Goal.

[wardance]

There was an art event a couple of years ago which allowed people to wander around certain parts of the gaol to view art placed in some of the cells. 

Oscar Wilde's cell was accessible.

I've got a few photos taken within the prison, one of which is of a sign outside the cells referencing graffiti found in a cell. It states 'occupants to be placed on report if graffiting has occurred during occupation'.

[wardance]

Mar 4, 2021 21:41:49 GMT 1 wardance said:

There was an art event a couple of years ago which allowed people to wander around certain parts of the gaol to view art placed in some of the cells. 

Oscar Wilde's cell was accessible.

I've got a few photos taken within the prison, one of which is of a sign outside the cells referencing graffiti found in a cell. It states 'occupants to be placed on report if graffiting has occurred during occupation'.

[wardance]

Mar 4, 2021 21:41:49 GMT 1 wardance said:

There was an art event a couple of years ago which allowed people to wander around certain parts of the gaol to view art placed in some of the cells. 

Oscar Wilde's cell was accessible.

I've got a few photos taken within the prison, one of which is of a sign outside the cells referencing graffiti found in a cell. It states 'occupants to be placed on report if graffiting has occurred during occupation'.

[Coach]

Mar 4, 2021 21:47:30 GMT 1 wardance said:

Mar 4, 2021 21:41:49 GMT 1 wardance said:

There was an art event a couple of years ago which allowed people to wander around certain parts of the gaol to view art placed in some of the cells. 

Oscar Wilde's cell was accessible.

I've got a few photos taken within the prison, one of which is of a sign outside the cells referencing graffiti found in a cell. It states 'occupants to be placed on report if graffiting has occurred during occupation'.

Heartbreaking to think of a man of such fine taste, creativity and capacity for love being put in such a cell for nothing more than loving another person.

[Lord Lucas Roham]

Won't be long before this is tagged. Home Reading Council have got a guard on watch 24/7. Even at 7ft high some p*ick will soil it.

[Coach]

Mar 4, 2021 22:58:39 GMT 1 Lord Lucas Roham said:

Won't be long before this is tagged. Home Reading Council have got a guard on watch 24/7. Even at 7ft high some p*ick will soil it.

It would be a shame if it gets buffed. A great shame.
But I would rather that than it gets covered in Perspex
Or even worse, cut out if the wall for a rich person to own.
Street art and graffiti is by its very nature both for everyone to enjoy and ephemeral. It doesn’t and shouldn’t last for ever.

[AJ]

Mar 4, 2021 18:37:45 GMT 1 trapnel1 said:

Mar 4, 2021 18:29:39 GMT 1 Knowss said:

This explains why Bob Ross was included in the video... Brilliant

 And The Ballad of Reading Gaol was published under a pseudonym -  C.3.3. (Oscar Wilde's cell number) - so nobody knew who the author was (until some time later).     The third edition (limited to 99 copies) was signed by Wilde, but it wasn't until after the 7th edition was published that the name of the author was widely known. 

Considering the level of detail that Banksy has gone into, including the Bob Ross reference, surely the logical conclusion would be to follow it up with a print in a signed edition of 99! (wishful thinking)

[Knowss]

Imagine if he sells that video as a NFT

[met]

Mar 4, 2021 22:50:28 GMT 1 Coach said:

Mar 4, 2021 21:47:30 GMT 1 wardance said:

Mar 4, 2021 21:41:49 GMT 1 wardance said:

There was an art event a couple of years ago which allowed people to wander around certain parts of the gaol to view art placed in some of the cells. 

Oscar Wilde's cell was accessible.

I've got a few photos taken within the prison, one of which is of a sign outside the cells referencing graffiti found in a cell. It states 'occupants to be placed on report if graffiting has occurred during occupation'.

Heartbreaking to think of a man of such fine taste, creativity and capacity for love being put in such a cell for nothing more than loving another person.

Our viewpoints here are the same. And this goes beyond Oscar Wilde and England of the late 19th century.

If one wishes to do further reading on egregious cases of injustice, see what happened in the 1950s to Alan Turing* — a hero to whom the nation (in fact, the entire world) is truly indebted:


Some historians estimate that Bletchley Park's massive codebreaking operation, especially the breaking of U-boat Enigma, shortened the war in Europe by as many as two to four years.

If Turing and his group had not weakened the U-boats' hold on the North Atlantic, the 1944 Allied invasion of Europe - the D-Day landings - could have been delayed, perhaps by about a year or even longer, since the North Atlantic was the route that ammunition, fuel, food and troops had to travel in order to reach Britain from America.

[...]

At a conservative estimate, each year of the fighting in Europe brought on average about seven million deaths, so the significance of Turing's contribution can be roughly quantified in terms of the number of additional lives that might have been lost if he had not achieved what he did.

If U-boat Enigma had not been broken, and the war had continued for another two to three years, a further 14 to 21 million people might have been killed.

Of course, even in a counterfactual scenario in which Turing was not able to break U-boat Enigma, the war might still have ended in 1945 because of some other occurrence, also contrary-to-fact, such as the dropping of a nuclear weapon on Berlin. Nevertheless, these colossal numbers of lives do convey a sense of the magnitude of Turing's contribution.

— Professor Jack Copeland, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand


Source*

__________



However, the focus of our attention is possibly misplaced.

On the issue of LGBT rights, rather than looking at events that happened in England prior to the Sexual Offences Act 1967, I would suggest we explore where we are in the world today.


A couple of relevant links:

www.theweek.co.uk/96298/the-countries-where-homosexuality-is-still-illegal

www.humandignitytrust.org/lgbt-the-law/map-of-criminalisation



Extracts from the Human Dignity Trust website:


Map of Countries that Criminalise LGBT People




Map of Countries where the Death Penalty Exists for LGBT People




There are currently "11 jurisdictions in which the death penalty is imposed or at least a possibility for private, consensual same-sex sexual activity. At least 6 [sic] of these implement the death penalty – Iran, Northern Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen – and the death penalty is a legal possibility in Afghanistan, Brunei, Mauritania, Pakistan, Qatar and UAE."



I'm always open to honest exchanges of opinions. And intellectual honesty, along with clarity and a bit of courage — as opposed to dodging awkward questions, cowardly evasiveness, and attempts to obfuscate — are perhaps what we need most when it comes to sensitive or uncomfortable subject matters.


Specifically with respect to LGBT rights, my own opinion would be that the above countries are backward. The laws they have in place conflict with fundamental human rights — betraying a regressive, unenlightened, shackled mindset (at the very least, of the legislators and policymakers).

I trust this stance is clear and unambiguous.


So, does anyone now wish to argue an opposing position, by taking the side of cultural relativism? Or religious dogma?

[trapnel1]

Mar 5, 2021 0:02:42 GMT 1 AJ said:

Mar 4, 2021 18:37:45 GMT 1 trapnel1 said:

 And The Ballad of Reading Gaol was published under a pseudonym -  C.3.3. (Oscar Wilde's cell number) - so nobody knew who the author was (until some time later).     The third edition (limited to 99 copies) was signed by Wilde, but it wasn't until after the 7th edition was published that the name of the author was widely known. 

Considering the level of detail that Banksy has gone into, including the Bob Ross reference, surely the logical conclusion would be to follow it up with a print in a signed edition of 99! (wishful thinking)

The first edition of The Ballad of Reading Gaol was 800 copies (unsigned - wish they were worth as much as as Banksy's!) plus 30 specials......   At least they didn't need to worry about the bots in those days. 

[max1]

Would make a good wall section design 😁

[artdelight]

Another masterpiece made with a montana colors can

[iamzero]

Mar 5, 2021 18:59:24 GMT 1 max1 said:

Would make a good wall section design 😁

Woodey1001 just got a woody...

[Sam Am]

had a little detour today, absolutely love it although it’s yet to be covered and it’s only a matter of time before someone throws some paint over it.. 

[max1]

Got a rare window to see Banksy this morning with no one around. I see someone has tried to paint next to it.

[Deleted]

On the radio this morning that Team Robbo has defaced this. Not seen any pics yet.

[Deleted]

Here you go

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-56412177

[Lord Lucas Roham]

Was inevitable. The Council should hang their heads in shame that they didn't apply protection to the work. A missed opportunity.

[inefficiency of]

Mar 16, 2021 8:34:41 GMT 1 @ekap said:

Here you go

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-56412177

Such mixed feelings about it. Always think it’s such a shame, especially after it’s generally to raise awareness of a good cause, but then... it’s just graffiti and that’s how it goes. 🤨🤷🏻‍♂️😫

[Deleted]

Mar 16, 2021 8:34:41 GMT 1 @ekap said:

Here you go

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-56412177

Interesting wording - the Banksy work is a 'mural' that has been vandalised. 

[marrosi]

Really sad. I was planning to visit it after lockdown

[Happy Shopper]

Mar 16, 2021 9:12:14 GMT 1 @ekap said:

Mar 16, 2021 8:34:41 GMT 1 @ekap said:

Here you go

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-56412177

Interesting wording - the Banksy work is a 'mural' that has been vandalised. 

Another interesting part of that article... notice under one of the pictures it says the Banksy mural has renewed interest in turning the prison into an arts venue?
I’ve heard through arts contacts on LinkedIn that the Banksy mural was actually a planned piece of PR for the new arts centre (or that’s how it seems).

[ajr]

Mar 16, 2021 8:34:41 GMT 1 @ekap said:

Here you go

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-56412177

Its graffiti, so let it be. Plus it brings it back into the news for attention.