Tate replaces nude child picture

Richard Prince's Spiritual America IV was taken in 2005 Enlarge Image

A nude photo of actress Brooke Shields aged 10 has been replaced by a picture of the star as an adult as part of a Tate Modern exhibition.

The new image, by the same artist, shows Shields aged 40 in a bikini posing by a motorbike.

Richard Prince's Spiritual America showed a young Shields from the knees up, naked, oiled and wearing make-up.

The Tate removed the original picture after police began investigating whether it would breach obscenity laws.

'Ongoing discussions'

Spiritual America IV was taken in 2005 and features the Blue Lagoon, star wearing similar jewellery as worn in the provocative 1975 shot.

A statement from the gallery said: "In consultation with the artist, Richard Prince, Tate has replaced Spiritual America 1983 with a later version of the work made by him in collaboration with Brooke Shields, Spiritual America IV 2005.

"Tate is in ongoing discussions with legal advisors about the catalogue."

The Tate chose to include the original picture in the Pop Life: Art In A Material World, which reopened on Tuesday, after seeking legal advice.

It had been exhibited in the US before but never in the UK.

Jack Bankowsky, the exhibition's co-curator, previously said he hoped artistic interest would not be overshadowed by controversy over its content.

Prince's work is a photograph of a photograph. The original was taken by Garry Gross, a US photographer, in 1975.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph newspaper, Mr Gross said: "The photo has been infamous from the day I took it and I intended it to be."