We didn't used to like art. We do now. A new exhibition has opened at London’s National Gallery that gives you the opportunity to peer through a keyhole and watch a woman having a bath. Just make sure you enter the right building to do this or you’ll end up in prison, rather than the gift shop, at the end of the experience.

The ‘woman having a bath’ installation is the brainchild of Turner Prize-winning artist Mark Wallinger, one of three artists asked to create a 21st century response to some classic paintings of naked women. In their day, these paintings were proper top shelf material but today they’re called masterpieces. Just think, 300 years from now centrefolds from Naked Bums magazine could be hanging in the Sainsbury wing.

The woman in the bath is actually six different women who all put in two-hour shifts in the makeshift bathroom. Two hours? By the time they step out of the bath they’ll be as wrinkled as Mother Teresa. Wallinger tracked down the bathing beauties on Twitter, proving tweeting’s not a complete waste of life after all.

Before today, the only other time we’d been into the National Gallery was to do a quick wee on the way to watch Transformers 2, so if their intention was to bring in the crowds, it’s working. But let’s be honest here. Is it really art?

Of course, what is art, anyway? If watching someone washing is art then we’re all closet art critics. Admit it, we’ve all sucked in our bellies and admired the view in front of the bathroom mirror. While we were at the gallery, a toddler threw up some smarties that, if you squinted, looked a bit like Mickey Mouse. Is that art? And a rather gorgeous male specimen leant forward to reveal his bronzed and toned builder’s bum. Is that art? Just in case it is, we took a few pictures on our phone.

So, you see. We’re still not sure what art is. And while we’re at it, is there a god? Answers in an email please. Either way, we imagine the National Gallery shop will do a roaring trade in 'Woman having a Bath' merchandise – posters, DVDs, rain macs, etc.

Ted Crumpet, 37, who’d walked barefoot from Leeds to see the exhibit said, “Please don’t tell the wife I’m here. She thinks I’m at work.” Another punter, Jack Eggwhite, 102, added, “This is a marvellous metaphor for the existential concept of baring one’s soul.” We’ve no idea what he’s talking about.

So, if you like watching women having a bath, there’s only one place to be until 23rd September. And we’ll be there every single day.

Copyright : Comedy Central UK