Scandal. Acrylic pop art painting
Referencing the scandal associated with the Profumo affair in the early 1960s (also see the painting Clos-ing Time).
This was a political and potentially military intelligence scandal that helped topple the government of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan in 1963.
A Government In shambles – Prostitution, Suicide & Spies
The Profumo affair involved prostitution, suicide, a Russian spy, and the Secretary of State for war. What else is there for the public not to love?
The three females depicted in the painting are Christine Keeler (later famous for the 1963 photograph of the iconic naked pose of her sitting backwards on a chair), Mandy Rice-Davies and another woman.
*Artist Doug Kemp with Scandal Painting
Original Photo A Tabloid Reference
The image of the women was taken from a photograph of them sitting in the back of a car that was published in one of the British tabloid newspapers.
In the painting, the eyes of the women have been obscured which was a common practice at the time to disguise their identity, although this was not the case in the original reference photograph.
The outline of two females undressing
The two outlined females, who appear to be undressing in the lower section of the painting, are an integral part of the background story but also represent the public titillation around the sex aspect of the scandal.
The male appears to be taking it all in his stride and even enjoying it.
Christine Keeler After The Affair
“I had 20, 30… members of the press at my door… hanging about.” Christine Keeler was interviewed on an episode of ‘Open to Exposure’ sometime in the 1970s or early 80s
