New York Art Shuttered After Bush Monkey Portrait

[professor skisurf]

This is just too funny (and scary) on so many levels...

By Larry Fine

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.

"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.

[eleny]

1. Please provide a link

[otohara]

3. Here' NYT Link

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/13/nyregion/13art.html

[eleny]

5. Thanks!

[bluedeminredstate]

2. Ah, the whiff of Stalinism

Who'da thunk it in the US of A?
:shrug:

[Brucey]

4. Apparently repugs think that art is

powerful. I wish they were right.

[Hanover_Fist]

6. Savido's a piker

Why didn't he use monkey poop? I think the medium has been vastly ignored. Rumsfeld could be done in bat guano, Rove in pig shit, imagine the possibilities................

[mia]

7. Here's the art

[Karenina]

44. Go here for the "close-up"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1068654#1068660

[brentspeak]

8. OT: Wasn't Larry Fine one of the Three Stooges?

Larry, I believe.

[Cooley Hurd]

18. Yes. Fitting that he writes about a portrait of the biggest stooge...

...of them all.;)

[Journeyman]

9. And yet this man could be continuously characterized as a "monkey". . .

during a far more horrific, far more critical war, and never once give it recognition, let alone try to stop it. . .




Sadly, in comparison to Mr Lincoln, we are governed now by pygmies, in far more ways than simple stature. . .

[jobycom]

10. Lincoln locked up a lot of reporters. nt.

[wildwww2]

12. The reporters seem to commit suicide for Bu$h da Chimp.

What few there are in this fascist country of ours.
Peace
Wildman
Al Gore is My President

[jobycom]

14. True. nt.

[Dancing_Dave]

11. I hope Chris Savido becomes rich and famous in NYC!

Looks like he's made quite a splash already!:yourock:

[tandot]

13. Bush is a monkey...here is the proof:

http://www.funtoosh.com/new_timepass/real_bush.php

We have Freedom of Speech only for Republicans or people who don't say anything negative about Bush or his administration. Just like in Nazi Germany. The only thing that is missing is the killing of millions of innocent people ... but we are heading toward it pretty fast ...

[Karenca]

26. Don't insult the monkies :)) nt

[Amigust]

15. Good concept, good publicity,

Instant $ appreciation. Chris, don't let it go too cheap.

[0rganism]

16. If a painting had come out in 1999 of Clinton made with tiny Monicas...

...would any gallery or public showing, in NYC or anywhere, have SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY to avoid showing it? Would people have been up in arms over it? Would it even have made the news for more than a brief mention in the arts/entertainment section?

"...The exhibit featured political art, such as Joe Rayakszunari's small acrylic on canvas Clinton's Monicas..."

Fascinating little thought experiment, isn't it?

[Eric J in MN]

23. No, Dissent is patriotic when it's towards a Democrat (NT)

NT

[The Sheik]

17. If stuff like this is happening in New York...

the downturn of the Second Term Repub president (which usually bad) is really starting.

[dw]

19. How about this portrait?

A mosaic of soldiers who have died in Iraq:



http://photomatt.net/2004/04/07/mosaic/

[DulceDecorum]

33. Seen the other Bush Mosaic?

http://www.artofresistance.org/bush_mosaic/

[Flammable Materials]

20. The Nazis called it "Degenerate Art"

http://stevenlehrer.com/degenerate_art.htm

[NewYorkerfromMass]

24. It's not the art that's degenerate here.

The Hitler/Nazi strictures were about dehumanizing a race- this is simply deifying an asshole who happens to be president.
It's also about the "big boxing" and sanitizing of this once great city.
I am frankly quite sick of these Bush worshipping assholes.
Sick to death of them.

[pinkpops]

21. Is this the Chelsea Market Website?

http://www.chelseamarket.com

[Osamasux]

29. Yes, it certainly is.

It looks like they've taken down the events calendar.

Chelsea Market is a converted pier on the Hudson River. Chelsea is the area north of the West Village. This is historically a very progressive part of town. They can be made to financially regret this decision.

[Laughing Mirror]

36. Actually Chelsea Market is a converted Nabisco factory

and is a block or two in from the Hudson River. I think you're confusing Chelsea Market with Chelsea Pier, sporting complex, which is built out on a pier on the Hudson.

[Osamasux]

37. You're right

I stand corrected. Area demographics still apply.

[Osamasux]

30. Thanks, I just used their 'email us' link

and sent them a piece of my mind. (Unlike the Chimp, I had some I could spare.)

Note: I had to click on their logo to get to the home page and the email link. (It's a webform, not an email address.)

[nashville_brook]

22. finally! art is dangerous again!

i wonder when rock and roll will get better?

[IndianaGreen]

41. Art is dangerous, unless it is to portrait the Nativity scene

We know the RW is also trying to banish science by peddling their Creationism in the public schools. Sometimes I think the US is becoming more like Inquisition Spain.

[nashville_brook]

42. see fark today! mucho nativity!

http://forums.fark.com/cgi/fark/comments.pl?IDLink=1252688

[Poppyseedman]

25. Whoa

That fact they shut down the place is very disturbing.

Bear one thing in mind, this is not the government closing them down, it's a business owner. It is the owners decision, a wrong one.

Personally, I find this type of art rather stupid.

[Dude_CalmDown]

27. Well you have to understand...

...anything that has that fucking idiot in it is bound to have at least an element of stupidity to it.

[neweurope]

35. Hi there again, Poppyseedman! If it is the owner's decision then

maybe because he is scared of the government? Or paid off?

Frieds: Get out. The parallels to the German Nazis are more than obvious. It is getting worse literally day by day. They're moving fast. And so should you.

[Erika]

28. Republicans want affirmation of their vote

or silence!

They can try all they want but they are not going to get either.

[Julius Civitatus]

31. This is FASCISM!!!

[PallasAthena]

32. Pass the Bananas

When I read this article in the NY Times today, I had to go over it several times just to make sure I was reading it correctly. They closed down their own show!! Even sadder than Giuliani condemning the poop Madonna or the aldermen in Chicago arresting (yes, really they did!) the picture of Mayor Harold Washington in women's underwear. It's the end of days.

[TiKiGoD]

34. Next Project should be...

He should make a chimp portrait out of little Bush images.

[Osamasux]

38. Anyone for Match Game?

[lonestarnot]

39. Well bring 'em to Phoenix, I'll put em in my yard! I live on a busy

traffic corner! I'll even advertise, write signs on my car and freeway blog 'em!

[IndianaGreen]

40. We are becoming Stalinist Russia!

Any mockery of the Great Leader shall be punished and the artist banished to the Gulag.

A clever art poster is now considered dangerous and subversive!

:scared:

[rodeodance]

43. "Bush Monkeys," --great title for this piece of art