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NEW YORK (Reuters) - A portrait of President Bush (news - web sites) using monkeys to form his image led to the closure of a New York art exhibition over the weekend and anguished protests on Monday over freedom of expression.
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Reuters Photo
"Bush Monkeys," a small acrylic on canvas by Chris Savido, created the stir at the Chelsea Market public space, leading the market's managers to close down the 60-piece show that was scheduled to stay up for the next month.
The show featured art from the upcoming issue of Animal Magazine, a quarterly publication featuring emerging artists.
"We had tons of people, like more than 2,000 people show up for the opening on Thursday night," said show organizer Bucky Turco. "Then this manager saw the piece and the guy just kind of flipped out. 'The show is over. Get this work down or I'm gonna arrest you,' he said. It's been kind of wild."
Turco took the show down on Saturday and moved the art work to his small downtown Animal Gallery. Calls to the management of Chelsea Market for comment were not returned.
From afar, the painting offers a likeness of Bush, but when you get closer you see the image is made up of chimpanzees or monkeys swimming in a marsh.
Savido, 23, said he was surprised by the strong reaction to his painting, listed in the catalog at $3,500.
"It seems like people got a kick out of it," Savido said. "When they really see it, they almost do a double-take. I like to get a reaction from people."
The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-bred artist said he was happy for all the attention paid to his work but said the decision to shutter the exhibit was "a blatant act of censorship."
Savido plans to auction the painting and donate proceeds to an organization dedicated to freedom of expression.
"This is much deeper than art. This is fundamental American rights, freedom of speech," Savido said. "To see that something like this can happen, especially in a place like New York City is mind boggling and scary."
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paste articles, don't just link 'em.
There's nothing wrong with this. The market managers closed it. They have every right to. Are you saying you'd be fine with the concept that you weren't allowed to remove any "free speech" from YOUR property? What about when the vandals come over and spraypaint stuff on your house?
It's only a first amendment violation if the GOVERNMENT stops you from saying it. Private property owners have the right to control what message is displayed on their property. Otherwise we could all have snuck over to Ustwo's house and put Kerry signs in his yard and he couldn't do anything about it
