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Nude paintings of Irish PM surface in Dublin galleries
25 Mar 2009, 0026 hrs IST, AGENCIES
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Nude paintings of Irish PM Brian Cowen have appeared in two Dublin galleries, media reports said on Tuesday. A portrait of Cowen holding his
underpants was left in the Royal Hibernian Academy while one of the taoiseach seated
on the toilet ended up in the republic’s National Gallery, the latter within a stone’s throw of the prime minister’s office in central Dublin, the BBC News website reported.
The National Gallery said they had called in the police and were reluctant to comment further on the matter, other than to say the painting had been up for no more than 20 minutes before it was removed. “It was not authorised to be on display and garda (police) are investigating,” the gallery said. The academy is also deciding whether or not to call in the police to investigate its mysterious appearance.
The painting of Cowen is still on the premises, but in one of the offices. One woman who saw the painting offered to buy it. Police are in possession of the other work, and have said that an investigation into the matter is under way. “It’s reasonably well painted. It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever seen,” said James O’Halloran, of Adam’s Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers in Dublin.
Cowen is already a visual target for Ireland’s political cartoonists. In the Irish media he is often portrayed as thick-lipped, bulging out of an ill-fitting suit, his shirt poking out of his trousers and a cigarette stuck out of one of his ears.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7964096.stm
Cowen artist 'could be charged'
Image of man looking at painting
The painting was removed from display at the Royal Hibernian Academy
The artist behind nude paintings of Irish Taoiseach Brian Cowen which were hung in two public galleries could face criminal charges, according to the Press Association.
A painting of the Irish leader holding his underpants appeared in the Royal Hibernian Academy and one of him pictured on the toilet ended up in the National Gallery.
On Tuesday, the National Gallery said they had called in the police, and the painting had been up for no more than 20 minutes before it was removed.
PA has reported that the artist, Conor Casby, a 35-year-old school teacher from Dublin, voluntarily accompanied investigators to a police station to be interviewed.
It is understood he was not arrested. PA has said a file is being prepared, which could be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
I would like to draw an end to this by offering the portraits to the highest bidder and donate the proceeds to charity
Conor Casby
Artist
But another senior police source told PA it was unlikely that any charges would be brought.
Both paintings are said to have been seized by police.
Mr Casby issued a statement to the Today FM radio station in which he said would "like to draw an end to this by offering the portraits to the highest bidder and donate the proceeds to charity".
"In terms of the arguments going on in the media now, I think they're less and less to do with me," he said.
It is understood a detective called at the station's studios on Tuesday to demand details of emails between the artist and the Ray D'Arcy show.
Will Hanafin, the show's producer, said the detective told him the investigation was looking at three potential offences of indecency, incitement to hatred and criminal damage, which was hammering a nail into a gallery wall.
When he refused to hand over any information, Mr Hanafin said he was told police may now seek a search warrant.
A police spokesman would not comment on the reports, but said that their inquiries were continuing into the matter.
Irish state broadcaster RTE issued an apology at the end of its Nine News programme on Wednesday over its television report the previous evening "on the illicit hanging of caricatures of the
Nude paintings of Irish PM surface in Dublin galleries
25 Mar 2009, 0026 hrs IST, AGENCIES
Print Email Discuss Share Save Comment Text:
Nude paintings of Irish PM Brian Cowen have appeared in two Dublin galleries, media reports said on Tuesday. A portrait of Cowen holding his
underpants was left in the Royal Hibernian Academy while one of the taoiseach seated
on the toilet ended up in the republic’s National Gallery, the latter within a stone’s throw of the prime minister’s office in central Dublin, the BBC News website reported.
The National Gallery said they had called in the police and were reluctant to comment further on the matter, other than to say the painting had been up for no more than 20 minutes before it was removed. “It was not authorised to be on display and garda (police) are investigating,” the gallery said. The academy is also deciding whether or not to call in the police to investigate its mysterious appearance.
The painting of Cowen is still on the premises, but in one of the offices. One woman who saw the painting offered to buy it. Police are in possession of the other work, and have said that an investigation into the matter is under way. “It’s reasonably well painted. It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever seen,” said James O’Halloran, of Adam’s Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers in Dublin.
Cowen is already a visual target for Ireland’s political cartoonists. In the Irish media he is often portrayed as thick-lipped, bulging out of an ill-fitting suit, his shirt poking out of his trousers and a cigarette stuck out of one of his ears.
<hr>
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7964096.stm
Cowen artist 'could be charged'
Image of man looking at painting
The painting was removed from display at the Royal Hibernian Academy
The artist behind nude paintings of Irish Taoiseach Brian Cowen which were hung in two public galleries could face criminal charges, according to the Press Association.
A painting of the Irish leader holding his underpants appeared in the Royal Hibernian Academy and one of him pictured on the toilet ended up in the National Gallery.
On Tuesday, the National Gallery said they had called in the police, and the painting had been up for no more than 20 minutes before it was removed.
PA has reported that the artist, Conor Casby, a 35-year-old school teacher from Dublin, voluntarily accompanied investigators to a police station to be interviewed.
It is understood he was not arrested. PA has said a file is being prepared, which could be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
I would like to draw an end to this by offering the portraits to the highest bidder and donate the proceeds to charity
Conor Casby
Artist
But another senior police source told PA it was unlikely that any charges would be brought.
Both paintings are said to have been seized by police.
Mr Casby issued a statement to the Today FM radio station in which he said would "like to draw an end to this by offering the portraits to the highest bidder and donate the proceeds to charity".
"In terms of the arguments going on in the media now, I think they're less and less to do with me," he said.
It is understood a detective called at the station's studios on Tuesday to demand details of emails between the artist and the Ray D'Arcy show.
Will Hanafin, the show's producer, said the detective told him the investigation was looking at three potential offences of indecency, incitement to hatred and criminal damage, which was hammering a nail into a gallery wall.
When he refused to hand over any information, Mr Hanafin said he was told police may now seek a search warrant.
A police spokesman would not comment on the reports, but said that their inquiries were continuing into the matter.
Irish state broadcaster RTE issued an apology at the end of its Nine News programme on Wednesday over its television report the previous evening "on the illicit hanging of caricatures of the
