By Robbie Mann

A protesting student stripped down to her underwear at the Grand Parade building after she was told to remove her painting because it was too erotic to display.

Student, Cat Lee, 22, studying BA Fine Art Painting at the University of Brighton, paints scenes of eroticism.

She uses oil on canvas exploring themes of power and love to show figures in provocative compositions which highlight a sexual nature.

Students studying the course are required to take part in a mandatory second year show in the gallery of the Grand Parade building.

Miss Lee, said: "I knew that there would be an issue with the nature of my work being displayed in a public gallery, so I was careful in selecting a piece."

She was told by the ethics committee that all of her work would need to be covered. Because of this, Miss Lee took herself out of the show and wanted to make an official complaint against the university and faculty of arts.

Miss Lee said that she turned up on the day of the private viewing and stood by the painting that had cased such a stir whilst she stripped down to her underwear and held a sign in protest.

She added: "While I was protesting I found out, from the dean of the Faculty of Arts, that in fact I could have put in any painting of my choice, the conditions being it had to face away from the windows and have warning signs by the doors."

During the protest she said that the staff involved looked shaken and somewhat threatened by her unwillingness to back down.

She said the protest was brilliant in that students couldn't believe how her work was censored or how the university had gone about it.