Artist Lester Hall releases print of half-naked Maori woman for Anzac Day

Lester Hall's latest eye-popping image entitled Remember Them. Photo / Supplied.

A New Zealand artist known for controversial paintings has released his latest work, a topless Maori woman, in time for Anzac Day.

Lester Hall's print, entitled Remember Them, features the woman shot with arrows and holding a pounamu mere (weapon).

Her skin is tattooed with various New Zealand and international wars.

Pop artist Lester Hall in his home studio in Kerikeri, Northland. Photo / Nick Reed

Hall has painted raunchy images of Queen Elizabeth in the past, and had a dig at super-wealthy Eric Watson who he caricatured in colonial dress, beneath a sub-heading "Ngatimotherf******".

Lester Hall's latest eye-popping image entitled Remember Them. Photo / Supplied.

There was also the time in 2011 when the Kerikeri artist was labelled a racist by school children over his images of All Black Sid Going passing a severed Maori head, James Cook with a moko and a print with the title Cheeky Little Darkie.

One of the pop artist's more recent upsets was caused by his Mokomokai portrait of a Maori head with roses as eyes and with a rose stem clenched between the teeth.

He told the Herald previously art patron Dame Jenny Gibbs detested his work so much she once wrote to him telling him what a prick he is.

Famous All Black, Sid Going painted as rubgy player Grant Batty with a Mokomokai (preserved Maori head with moko).

Hall said his latest work was a reinterpretation of his Dusky Maiden artwork and "speaks to the care and defence of our country and lifestyle and integrity in armed conflict".

"This artwork moves to recognising all New Zealanders lost to conflict off shore and perhaps more importantly on shore."

Mokomokai artwork by Lester Hall.

His explanation is also political, saying that Kiwis fight powerfully and with great valour, but questioning "for whom do we fight and when?".