Labour leader Andrew Little says he's no doormat after a rug depicting a "flattering" naked version of him was named a finalist at the 25th Annual Wallace Art Awards.
Whanganui artist Mark Rayner's Wallace Art Award-nominated rug depiction of Labour leader Andrew Little. Photo: Supplied
The artist behind the work, Whanganui's Mark Rayner, told Checkpoint with John Campbell that it was a play on words, inspired by a similar piece featuring Prime Minister John Key.
"It's a humorous play on words" - Whanganui artist Mark Rayner
He wasn't the first to create works based on naked depictions of world leaders, he said.
"I've seen several pictures of Trump and Putin - there's a very sort of a fad, almost, of portraying these several masculine men in this way.
"It was meant in jest, it's a humorous play on words and I just hope that the art work - [we didn't] set out to offend him in any way, nor was the John Key rug which I previously made."
He said the image was put together first, then turned into a pattern that could be created as a rug.
'No photos were provided'
Mr Little said he played no part in the work's creation.
"There was no pose, no photos were provided, no sketch drawings were given - it was a calculated guess on the part of the artist."
Mr Key said he had also personally never posed for "rug art".
"Nor do I wish to purchase any that might be for sale at the moment."
He still had not quite got over having seen the image, he said.
"Polluted my eyes when I had to look at it last night."