Toxic Beach — Going for Gold by Mason Storm.Limited Edition of 25 — **Toxic Beach — Going for Gold**
by Mason Storm.
Limited Edition of 25

A Toxic 3-Count Waltz

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At the first beat of the waltz, came ‘The Singing Butler’painted in 1992 by Jack Vettriano, an autodidactic ex-coal miner.

A well-dressed couple seems to have escaped from a party, as they are dancing, incongruously, on a beach, somewhere in the British Isles. The glamorous pair is attended by two retainers, a maid for her and a butler for him, each of whom protectively holds an umbrella aloft against the threatening weather. The Bristish people’s soul is here in this painting which manages to be both conventionally anecdotal (there’s a story unfolding) and enigmatic (but what is it?).

Reproductions of ‘The Singing Butler’ make it the best-selling art print in the UK.

In 2005, Crude Oils a “gallery of re-mixed masterpieces, vandalism and vermin” ran for over a week. The artworks were reworked copies of well known standards of the art world including Monet, Warhol, Hopper and Van Gogh.

The artwork titled ‘Crude Oils’ by Banksy after Jack Vettriano arrived as the second beat of the waltz.

Admission was free – if you could stand the thought of sharing the gallery space accompanied by around 200 live black rats (see video below).

This reminds me of a temple dedicated to rats in India on the road to Bikaner. Rats where wandering on the backs and heads of pilgrims while they were worshipping. To avoid being bitten, you had to walk without lifting your feet. But that's a completely different story.

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In 2021, Mason Storm paid a tribute to Banksy’s Crude Oils with ‘Toxic Beach’, signing the third beat of the Waltz.

Or was he paying a tribute to … himself?

— Wait! Wait! Wait! You mean Banksy and Mason Storm would be the same person?

— Any proof?

The question is: while in Banksy’s team, was Mason Storm in charge of Oil Paintings?

Disclaimer: Any resemblance of Bansky's works to recent works by Mason Storm may not be entirely fortuitous. See below!

A gallery of remixed masterpieces,
vandalism and vermin

by Banksy in 2005.

Banksy vs. Storm: The Battle

signed by Banksy

signed by Mason Storm

Sunflower From Petrol Station | After Van Gogh | 2005

signed by BankStorm?

signed by StormKsy?

Listen Up
and I’ll Tell A Story

Picasso said, ‘Other artists borrow—I steal.’

Jack Vettriano found inspiration for the poses of ‘The Singing Butler’ he painted in 1992 directly from the Illustrator’s Figure Reference Manual—the sourcebook for the dancing couple. For this, he’s been accused of plagiarism.

—‘The same book I used was found in Francis Bacon’s studio when he died. What is good for Francis is good for me”, says Vettriano.

As regards Mason Storm, can one say he is steeling Banksy if he is the one who painted Banksy’s Oils and Crude Oils paintings in the first place?

—‘It’s all Monkey Business!’
—‘Sir Christopher Wren never laid a brick but St. Paul’s is always referred to as his greatest building”
—‘The other side you ask?’
—‘Hmmmm maybe’, hints an elusive Masons Storm who is (un)-covering his tracks.

**Mason Storm’s Coming Out**

**Mason**’s work has been considered controversial and provocative.
In fact, there are at least 2 **Mason Storm** behind the always balaclava clad artist. A sulfurous painter willing to shock the established people via humorous and acid observations on contemporary life. A true genius able to sublime reworking of the great masters. Both are highly skilled when it comes to oil a canvas.
**Mason**’s mask has become a trademark, hiding his identity whilst creating a mystique which helps with promotion and publicity. He began wearing it when in 2010 he said he was going to reveal the face of the artist **Banksy** in an oil painting.
Yes! **Mason Storm** is **The Man Who Was Going To Unveil Banksy** which courted a lot of negative publicity and the occasional death threat.
Rather than resting into a tried and tested formula, **Mason** paints what he wants rather than what the market dictates and that’s what makes him one of the most exciting unpredictable artists currently working today.
By the way, **Mason knows!** is the chimpsy portrait **Mason Storm** produced to unveil **Banksy**. What a pirouette! Or was it rather dictated by NO-OLD-NONSENSE-JUST-ART, **Mason**’s day-to-day motto?

Blow-Up
on ‘Toxic Beach — Going for Gold’

“If you like my work buy it and love it, if you hate my work, buy it and burn it!”

“Art is the new Rock and Roll and I am Elvis! What’s the point of doing something if you can’t do it at 100 miles per hour? I don’t relate with the starving tortured artist, like I say I want to be the Elvis or the Hendrix of Art not the Morrissey!”

— Mason Storm