Celebrities are voracious connoisseurs of art (even Beyoncé loves art history), and are among the few people in this world who can actually afford to collect it, so it makes sense that celebrities often appear as the subjects of artworks. Of course, that’s not to say they always inspire flattering portraits. The recent $1.9 million sale of artist John Currin’s 1991 nude portrait of Golden Girl Bea Arthur has inspired Flavorwire to round up the most awkward portrayals of celebrities in art, from politicians in the buff and doused in urine to installation art, sculpture, and a certain former president’s wet and wild self-portrait.
John Currin’s nude portrait of Bea Arthur (1991)
Rab Webster’s portrait of a semi-nude Sean Connery (1951)
Daniel Edwards’ Monument to Pro-Life sculpture of Britney Spears giving birth (2006)
Yoko Ono’s Cut Piece (1965)
Yoko Ono’s Four, a video of John Lennon’s butt (1967)
Bruce Elliot’s nude portrait of Sarah Palin (2008)
Photo Credit: glennbeck.com
Glenn Beck’s Piss Obama (2012)
George W. Bush in the shower, by George W. Bush
Photo Credit: Jim’ll Paint It
Jim’ll Paint It’s portrait of Hulk Hogan (2013)
Paul Emsley’s portrait of Kate Middleton (2013)
Tilda Swinton sleeping in a glass box at the Museum of Modern Art (2013)
James Franco, mixed media (1978-)