So the National Portrait Gallery has its portrait prize shortlist up and Panayiotis Lamprou's portrait of his wife with no knickers on is the one that catches the eye - mainly because only a detail is shown, and then you have to click on the image to get the full image in all its shocking glory. That extra clicking seems to add a dimension to the picture, to give it some weird peepshow feel, almost like one of those old pens with a picture of a girl in a bikini on, but when you turn the pen upside down, hey presto, the bikini disappears.
The Guardian has a short commentary. Especially interesting are the Guardian comments. These muse on the Bristishness of the artist's wife, the omelette pan to her side, the tip of her pelvis, the shape of her genitals and the fact that she is shaven, and what will happen when her children see it - the last point I'm not sure I get because I'm presuming she's not going to be teaching her children about the the shamefulness and disgrace of nudity - it might be something a bit more relaxed and healthy than that. I'm with the Get over it school of thought - it's not porn (but once it might have been) and it's not that good a picture. Or is it? I'm not sure anymore.
And then is she really British? British? And if not, why is he putting that into the title (and wouldn't English work better)?
Full list of the Shortlisted Portraits are here. I fancy the Jeffrey Stockbridge twins, which reminds me of oh-so-many-things, but especially Roger Ballen's Dresie and Casie.
This is what the Guardian site has above the Lamprou Portrait.
Warning: clicking on the picture reveals the full image, which is explicit and may offend
All this somehow reminds me of this story where amother of boys complained about a topless sunbather.
She had initially asked the woman, an assistant in a fashion store, to cover herself up as her ample breasts and the act of rubbing cream on her body had "troubled her sons aged 14 and 12."
