KEY POINTS:
Convicted Sounds double-murderer Scott Watson has turned to canvas to take a swipe at the policeman who led the investigation into the disappearance of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope.
Convicted in 1999 for the murders of Ben and Olivia, , Watson has taken up painting as a means
to while away his life sentence - and to make a political statement protesting his innocence.
One work contains the statement "Rob Pope murders me", apparently suggesting the man who led the investigation got it wrong.
The Independent Police Complaints Authority is investigating complaints deputy police commissioner Pope swore misleading affidavits to obtain surveillance warrants. A police spokesman said Pope would not comment until the inquiry was complete.
Another criminal complaint laid by Watson's father, Chris, took four years for police to complete. A week after the Herald on Sunday revealed the delay, the report was completed - but police refuse to release it.
Another of Watson's paintings contains the phrase "A Commissioner's Chickens", but Chris Watson said his son's works should not necessarily be interpreted literally. "If he paints one with a boat, then of course that means people think he's thinking about dropping people in the water. He knows that."
Chris and his wife Beverley buy art supplies for Watson which they send to his prison in Christchurch.
Chris said his son sent his work home to be given to friends and family. "We're running out of wall space."
Art experts compared Watson's art to work by Picasso and Colin McCahon, though not always favourably. Art dealer John Gow, director of John Leech Gallery, said Watson had painted some interesting pieces but "none would be hanging on my wall".
Watson had obviously read some quality art history books in prison, said Gow, and had recreated works reminiscent of Picasso's imagery.
Some of the "nicer" paintings were styled on the Russian Constructivist movement, said Gow. Poorer pieces could be compared to McCahon.
"Well, it's only like McCahon in that there are words over paint. It's a political statement in the medium of paint. But it's bad art."
Jon Bywater, head of the Elam School of Fine Art at Auckland University, said Watson's work was at a beginner level.
"Frankly, in themselves the paintings are pretty uninteresting.
"The ones that stand out are the ones mentioning Rob Pope and Commissioner's Chickens.
"Watson hints at a secret truth, 'something that I know and you don't', because it's cryptic."
Watson's lawyers are preparing a petitionto the Governor-General.
