For sale on Saatchi's own art website... bizarre paintings that mock Nigella Lawson throttling

  • Paintings show moment Charles Saatchi was apparently caught throttling Nigella Lawson
  • Seven of the bizarre images are available on the millionaire's art sale website
  • Prices for pictures range from £150 to £17,600 with one called 'Last Course'
  • Art collector was pictured with hands around Ms Lawson's throat last year
  • 71-year-old accepted police caution for incident in Mayfair, London

By Amy Oliver

Published: 16:05 EST, 28 June 2014 | Updated: 16:07 EST, 28 June 2014

He bought Tracey Emin’s knicker-strewn bed and Damien Hirst’s pickled shark.

But will millionaire art collector Charles Saatchi have the same appetite for an emerging painting genre: ‘throttle art’?

Seven paintings depicting the infamous moment last year when Mr Saatchi was caught apparently throttling then wife Nigella Lawson are available via his own art sale website.

One of the images available on the website is called Saatchi & Saatchi, pictured, by Darren Udaiyan and is available for £5,870

One of the images available on the website is called Saatchi & Saatchi, pictured, by Darren Udaiyan and is available for £5,870

SaatchiArt.com, which is closely connected to his London gallery, shows one such painting available for $30,000 (£17,600). Little-known artists have also uploaded their depictions of the assault.

Mr Saatchi stands to gain from the sale of the works, as he is a minority shareholder in Saatchi Art – a fact that angers anti-violence campaigners.

It is just over a year since the 71-year-old was photographed with his hands around Ms Lawson’s throat as they dined at Scott’s in Mayfair, London.

 

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Mr Saatchi subsequently accepted a police caution for the incident. The photograph caused a sensation and led to the couple’s acrimonious divorce last November.

But Mr Saatchi is seemingly unfazed by the paintings.

In an email to The Mail on Sunday, he said: ‘Would it have been a better story if I had censored artists whose work might be personally disobliging?’

When asked if he thought ‘throttle art’ might be a new genre destined to take off, he added: ‘There are 40,000 artists who showcase their work on the site, so I think it’s a bit of a micro genre.’

One of the images on the website that is not for sale, is called Last Course and was created by Pete Jones
Another of the images is called Art Collector Throttling A Cook, created by Jane Kelly and is priced at £1,170

A painting on the website called Last Course, by Pete Jones, is pictured left, while another version of the scene in Mayfair was painted by Jane Kelly and called Art Collector Throttling A Cook, right -  available for £1,170

But Polly Neate, chief executive of Women’s Aid, said: ‘Domestic violence is not a trivial matter. It is extremely insensitive to all victims of domestic violence for someone who has accepted a police  caution for assaulting a partner to earn commission on images of the offence. We are shocked that anyone would want to make a profit from images of abuse.’

Darren Udaiyan, 41, a member of the Stuckist movement, uploaded his Van Gogh-style painting of the infamous scene to Saatchi Art after seeing the pictures in a newspaper. It is on sale for $10,000 (£5,870).

He said: ‘It’s not really controversial. Saatchi is strangling Nigella but it’s also about him squeezing the art market. It works on many levels. It’s a comment on the art market and how people control it.’

And Pete Jones, 52, decided  to list two paintings depicting the photograph.

Last Course is a portrait of Ms Lawson with hands on her throat painted on a bread board. He is also selling Domestic Irony One, an oil painting, for $30,000 (£17,600).

‘When those pictures hit the newspapers that photo said, “Come and paint me,” ’ Mr Jones said. ‘It’s not the best execution, but that’s not what’s important. It’s ironic that this picture is for sale as art and there’s Mr Saatchi lining his pockets from it. He’s profiting from that image.’

A drawing called Charles Saatchi Vs Nigella Lawson is also on the website with an asking price of £150

A drawing called Charles Saatchi Vs Nigella Lawson is also on the website with an asking price of £150

Jane Kelly, 58, listed her oil painting last June. ‘I was surprised it stayed up there,’ she said. ‘I’m sure Saatchi doesn’t want a picture of him throttling his wife on his own website. I put it on there to have a laugh  at Saatchi.’

She sold Art Collector Throttling A Cook, advertised for £2,000 (£1,170), to Irish collector and retired EU Commission official Charles Copeland.

He also bought her controversial painting of Myra Hindley several years ago. ‘He’s got both Nigella being throttled and Myra in his living room,’ Ms Kelly said.

Anyone can create an account on the online gallery and start selling their work from $100 to $30,000.

If it sells, the user receives 70 per cent while Saatchi Art takes a 30 per cent commission.

The website states that users must not upload anything that is ‘defamatory’ or ‘offensive’ or that is ‘violent  or threatening or promotes violence’.

But so far none of the works has been taken down.

When asked why the works depicting violence were not removed, Rebecca Wilson, chief curator at the online gallery, said: ‘Saatchi Art does not believe in censorship unless the material is pornographic or incites racial hatred.’

Comments (9)

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He's scumm.

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What a vile scumbag.

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Kinda funny.

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Unless these pieces are satire to show the ills of domestic violence, methinks this art is despicable

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Sick man!

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Twisted.

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the top one is just their heads pasted on homer simpson and bart simpson's body, with a few "artful" swishes. that seems a bit of a ripoff for 6000 dollars.

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Disgusting

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That is horrific

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