Picture This

‘And he’s just leaving,’ Marty announced, slipping off the bar stool. He lifted Susie’s hand and kissed it. ‘See you later, princess.’

They both watched him walk off. ‘Sorry about that, I should have been there to protect you,’ Felix said.

‘What from? I liked him.’

‘Be careful; he’ll try and steal you from me. I’ve had four artists defect to his gallery. I retaliated by stealing his top guy. I guess we have a love–hate relationship, but we respect each other.’ He moved closer. ‘What’s wrong? You’ve been so remote since I got back.’

‘Nothing’s wrong,’ she lied again, looking down into her drink. ‘You know this can’t amount to anything. I’m leaving straight after the show; you’ll be circling the world and the art fairs for the rest of the year. Is that what you want? A text relationship? Mutual masturbation over Skype?’

‘You do that?’ He grinned wolfishly.

‘No.’

He reached over to grab a cocktail cherry from the bar, and slipped it into her drink.

‘Come back to my hotel room tonight.’ He leaned forward to caress her, then glanced over her shoulder. ‘Damn – Lizzy’s seen you and she’s on her way over.’

‘Lizzy?’

‘Elizabeth Jones, Guggenheim curator. You guys have history, right?’

Before Susie could reply, the willowy curator was standing before them.

‘Felix, I thought you’d be here – and this must be Susie Thomas. We’ve talked but—’

‘— never actually met.’ Susie stood and shook hands with her.

‘I should apologise for the cowardice of the board.’

‘Don’t bother. I entirely get it – and in the end it didn’t matter . Tate took it, and the rest, as you know, is history.’

‘Tate made a good decision. Desire as Myth was absolutely breakout—’

‘— as the solo New York show will be. I expect you and your cheque-book to be at the opening, Lizzy. It’s the least you can do to restore your reputation,’ Felix deadpanned.

Susie wasn’t sure whether he was entirely joking or not.

‘Indeed,’ Elizabeth replied, totally unflustered. ‘Can you tell me what the theme will be?’

Felix cut in before Susie had a chance to reply: ‘There’s an embargo on that information, but it will be quintessentially Susie Thomas. That much I can guarantee.’

‘It’s okay. I can give a pointer at least,’ Susie interrupted and turned back to the curator. ‘Celebrity, the notion of the erotic gaze – how culturally specific is it in terms of art history, and finally New York itself. It will be homage to the city – good works for a serious institution. I won’t be covering New York for a while after this,’ she added, not without some irony.

‘Sounds ambitious, but perhaps a little broad.’

‘It won’t be. I’m appropriating very specific iconic paintings as a basis for reinterpretation and there’s a relationship between the paintings themselves. All of them involve sexual and more classically romantic themes, which I have, naturally, subverted.’

‘With your usual acidic wit, no doubt. You’re becoming a veritable movement these days. Of course, in Felix’s expert hands, the momentum will be unstoppable.’

‘That’s my intention.’ Felix smiled.

‘I focus on the integrity of the work. Nothing else matters,’ Susie retorted, sensing the curator’s cynicism.

‘Of course. You’re an artist,’ Elizabeth replied coolly, then turned towards the pool. ‘Now that you’ve mentioned the erotic gaze, are we convinced the tall blond merman is heterosexual?’

The three mermen and two mermaids were lounging at the foot of the huge plastic seashell in which the string quartet played. The men’s bodies were absurdly buff, muscles rippling and shiny under the lights, while the mermaids, who all seemed to have cosmetically enhanced breasts, sported long, shimmering rubber tails into which they’d been tightly squeezed.

‘I can tell you the dark-haired one is definitely not,’ Felix cracked. ‘But I suspect you’re safe with the Viking.’