Rob Ray
The Graffiti Method

"The Graffiti® Method: A cunnilingus trainer for the heterosexual male."

Description
The installation consists of a Palm Pilot electronic personal organizer positioned just below center on a twin size bed outfitted with pink sheets
and pillows. Images of sex and technology are juxtaposed onto the sheets via projector. Users are expected to walk up to the piece and physically
interact with the piece.

Interaction
The Palm Pilot is loaded with software applications designed to cater to men's interests and their competitive spirit. Some applications are chess games, various male-dominated sports, drug dealing, automotive repair, etc. These applications are loaded onto the Palm Pilot in order to seduce male heterosexuals to engage the piece. There is a catch though. In order to interact with this device of male technolust, the participant must lay
on the bed and strap on a specially fabricated tongue-mount stylus. This entering of letters into the device is used in order to force the user into
performing a variation of the "Alphabet Technique." onto the device instead of entering the commands by hand.

The end result is the device requires participants to improve their cunnilingus technique in order to receive the reward of the male oriented entertainment.

Participants can take the tongue-mount stylus with them to continue practice from the comfort of their own home using Palm applications of their choosing.

The "Alphabet Technique."
The "Alphabet Technique"is a sexual prowess technique often employed by men in hopes of assisting them in orally stimulating a woman. It is successfully performed by spelling out the characters of the alphabet with one's tongue while placing ones mouth over the woman's vaginal area in attempt to stimulate the clitoral region. This technique is usually employed by men lacking knowledge of the clitoris' location or proper procedure for properly stimulating it.

This installation also makes reference to a particular Palm Pilot and Sex related incident which occurred back in 1999.

In 1999, Chicago Ad Agency Foote, Cone & Belding launched 3COM's "Simply Palm" campaign for the 3COM corporation's PalmV devices. This campaign placed naked women in elegant poses holding 3COM's new sleek PalmV device along with the phrase "Simply Palm." The campaign was widely critiqued as 3COM using sex to pander to its core customer base of male business executives and was quickly canceled.

This same campaign was also parodied by artist Jason Kottke in his work "3CUM." The "3CUM" works were images of teen pornography with PalmV's placed over the genitals. Jason removed these images from his web site upon receipt of a cease and desist order by 3COM's lawyers (citing possible trademark infringement) but not after the site had been mirrored by dozens of other sites who enjoyed Jason's parody.

The installation of the Chess game on the Palm makes reference to an oft-quoted Televangelist Pat Robertson quote in the Washington Spectator.

"In November 1989, Robertson talked to his television audience about the difference between men and women:'[T]he key in terms of mental
[ability] is chess. There's never been a woman Grand Master chess player. [O]nce you get one, then I'll buy some of the feminism....'
According to the Chess Federation of the United States there were already two women Grand Masters at that time - both from Georgia-
and, since Robertson's gaffe, three more. Pia Cramling of Sweden (1992), and the Hungarian sisters Zsuzsa Polgar (1991 at age 22),
and Judit, who last year became the youngest Grand Master ever at age 15. Judit recently defeated Boris Spassky in an exhibition
match and is touted by her fans as a potential first-ever female 'Men's World Champion'."

Materials:

1 Palm Pilot V personal organizer
Software installed includes (but not limited to):
ChessGenius 1.3 http://www.palmgear.com/software/showsoftware.cfm?sid=53432020010601223253&prodID=6018
ZIOGolf http://www.palmgamingworld.com/sports/ziogolfforpalmoscolor.shtml
DopeWars 3.5.2 http://www.pdaguy.com/dopewars/
NHL Schedule 2000-2001 http://www.palmgear.com/software/showsoftware.cfm?Sid=53432020010601223253&prodID=9295
Race Fever 3d 1.2 http://www.palmgear.com/software/showsoftware.cfm?Sid=53432020010601223253&prodID=8513

1 Twin Size bed
1 ceiling-mounted data/slide projector 100+ disposable tongue-mount stylii for participants

Related Links
1. "'Simply Palm' ad parody shows some skin" Katlin Quistgaard, Salon.com ,April 5 1999
http://www.salon.com/tech/log/1999/04/05/simply_porn/print.html

2. Jason Kottke, "Simply Porn" Site. originally posted at http://www.0sil8.com/
currently mirrored at http://www.prehensile.com/does/simplyporn.htm Sites displaying 3COM's original "Simply Palm" advertisements.

3. Womenzone.com
http://www.womenzone.com/palm.html

4. "Cult of the Palm Pilot. When the Internet Invades Our Shirt Pockets It's Time to Worry."
Dan Kennedy, The Boston Phoenix, July 27-29, 1999
http://www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/features/99/07/22/CULT_OF_THE_PALM_PILOT.html (includes pic of original 3com ad)

5. "3COM's 'Simply Palm' Campaign Angers Feminists"
Maureen Mason, Womensnet.com/IDG.com April 1999
http://www.igc.org/igc/wn/hg/palmporn.html (includes pic of "Simply Palm" billboard virtually graffitti'ed)

The Alphabet Technique
6. "Sex Myths Series"
Anthony Fiore, Ph.D. Sexcoachonline.com ©2001
http://www.sexcoachonline.com

7. "Cunnilingus Techniques"
http://www.sexuality.org
http://www.sexuality.org/l/incoming/acunn.html