A new exhibition of Maria Lassnig's paintings is opening on April 25 at the Serpentine, London. Her work deals with the awareness we have of our own bodies, and rejects the strictures of traditional portraiture. Have a look at some of her work

Truth and dare


At nearly 90, the painter Maria Lassnig is producing the most confrontational work of her life. She talks to Adrian Searle

The painter greets us, naked. She holds a gun to her own head, and aims another at her spectators. Maria Lassnig, approaching 90, might be trying to tell us something. You or Me is the title of this self-portrait, painted in 2005 and the first thing you see in her exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery in London. As well as an introduction, the painting is a test: bolt and run, or stay and face the consequences. I plunged right in.


Visual art
Truth and dare


At nearly 90, the painter Maria Lassnig is producing the most confrontational work of her life. She talks to Adrian Searle

In pictur

90 years of age! Amazing woman.

The painter greets us, naked. She holds a gun to her own head, and aims another at her spectators. Maria Lassnig, approaching 90, might be trying to tell us something.

Is that the answer? If you greeted your visitors naked you'd make sure your body was at its best, so healthy. Your mind would need to be tiptop too or they'd be locking you up. So the receipt for long health is - NO CLOTHS. Ha ha