Living record

New York, May 13 (AP): A painting by British artist Lucian Freud could set a record for a living artist when it goes on sale in Manhattan for an estimated $25 million to $35 million.

Benefits Supervisor Sleeping, a life-size portrait of a large naked woman, is going on the auction block at Christie’s New York galleries. It could top the current record, set in November by Jeff Koons’s Hanging Heart sculpture, which sold for $23.6 million .

The 1995 painting depicts Freud’s subject, Sue Tilley, sleeping on a worn-out sofa. The 85-year-old artist is the grandson of psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud.

Drew drive

Los Angeles (AP): Actress Drew Barrymore’s vehicle was smashed on Monday in a hit-and-run car accident. However, she managed to follow the other vehicle to get its licence plate numbers, authorities said. The 33-year-old actress was not injured in the accident on Monday in west Hollywood, police said. They did not know the extent of damage to Barrymore’s car.

Shark poke

Sydney (Reuters): An Australian swimmer survived a great white shark attack by poking the creature in the eyes as it dragged him through the water after badly savaging his left leg. Jason Cull was swimming off a beach on Australia’s southwest coast on Sunday when the 4-metre shark attacked. “Initially I thought it was a dolphin,” Cull told The Australian newspaper on Monday. “I just remember being dragged along backwards. I was trying to feel its gills but I found its eye and I stuck my finger in and that’s when it let go.” The shark tore two chunks from Cull’s left leg, ripping off half his calf and leaving him with deep lacerations to his knee and thigh.

Turner art

London (AP): Cartoon characters and a shop mannequin on a toilet are among the nominees for Britain’s contentious Turner Prize for art. Organisers on Tuesday named four artists competing for the £25,000 prize. It is awarded annually to a British artist under 50. Mark Leckey uses images from The Simpsons, the movie Titanic and the cartoon character Felix the Cat in his film-based installations. Cathy Wilkes is nominated for a work featuring a mannequin on a toilet with a bowl of dried porridge at its feet. Also nominated are film and video artist Runa Islam and installation artist Goshka Macuga.