More Gawking at Hawking

A new portrait of world renowned physicist and international super-lad Stephen Hawking has been put on display in his department to celebrate his life’s work.

The work was recently unveiled in the Department of Applied Maths and Theoretical Physics in recognition of Hawking’s outstanding contributions to cosmology in spite of his crippling motor neurone disease.

It has been commissioned by Murray Edwards’ Honorary Fellow and philanthropist Dame Stephanie Shirley, and painted by artist Tai-Shan Schierenberg, some of whose works hang in the National Portrait Gallery.

The artist’s work has been described as “abstract and realist” as well as“edgy and sensitive”, and even “violent and melancholic.”

At the unveiling, Shirley said: “I marvel at the sophistication of the science, his deceptively simpler clarity of writing, and his unique achievements against all health odds.” Hawking is reportedly very happy with the portrait.

Hawking’s portrait: from “edgy and sensitive” to “violent and melancholic”

Other members of the department are also happy with the painting. Emanuel Malek, a PhD student, told The Tab: “The portrait of Stephen Hawking is great. I didn’t particularly like the portrait that used to hang there before Stephen’s and we got free booze when it was unveiled: clearly ‘bi-winning.’ ”

This is not the first time Hawking’s inspiring lifelong achievements have been acknowledged. His college, Gonville and Caius, already have a portrait of the great man on display in their hall, and in 2007 named a block of new student accommodation after him.

Perhaps most importantly, Hawking’s status as a massive lad was finally given merit earlier this year, with lads’ mag Nuts giving Hawking the classy title of “British Bloke of the Year” this January.