Bush Monkeys Banned from Art Gallery

Mike Segar/Reuters December 13, 2004

"Bush Monkeys," a small acrylic on canvas painting by 23-year-old artist Christopher Savido, looks like President Bush from a distance. Up close, you can see that it's made up of monkeys swimming in a marsh.

"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."

"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."

"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."

The painting now hangs at the Animal gallery on New York City's Lower East Side.