NYT: Bush Portrait Draws Fire Over Details (tiny chimps), Not Subject

[DeepModem Mom]

Bush Portrait Draws Fire Over Details, Not Subject
By HOWARD O. STIER

Published: December 13, 2004


John Marshall Mantel for The New York Times
Christopher Savido with his portrait of President Bush.


Artwork in an exhibition that drew thousands to the Chelsea Market for its opening last week was abruptly taken down over the weekend after the market's managers complained about a portrait of President Bush fashioned from tiny images of chimpanzees, according to the show's curator.

Bucky Turco, who organized the show, said that a market director had expressed reservations about the Bush portrait, a small colorful painting by Christopher Savido that from afar appears to be a likeness of the president but viewed up close reveals chimps swimming in a marshy landscape.

"I approached them with the idea of bringing an edgy show by emerging artists here. I showed them an issue of our magazine, and they were psyched," said Mr. Turco, publisher of Animal, a quarterly publication with offices in the market that features photographs and graphics inspired by urban culture.

Mr. Turco said that while he had cleared the work to be hung with Irwin Cohen, a director of Chelsea Market, the management took issue with the image of Bush....


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

[JI7]

1. HAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAha

[WindRavenX]

2. BRILLIANT!!

FUCKING BRILLIANT!!!!:thumbsup:

[HuffleClaw]

3. just hilarious. and look how they reacted. like gestapo.

"..."The party's over right now," Mr. Turco said the market worker told him before calling security to clear the crowd.

"I said, 'Let's walk and talk this over,' and when we passed Chris's painting, he flipped," Mr. Turco said. "If I didn't take the show down he was going to have me arrested, seize the art, and evict me from of my office," he said..."

[donheld]

4. This is the guy who complained

How would you like being part of *'s portrait.

[mamalone]

28. My 5yo son saw this picture and

Just asked "who is that?" I answered, "A chimpanzee..isn't he cute?" "Hmmmmm," he said thoughtfully, "It looks like Bush!" LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL Out of the mouths of babes!!!

[DeepModem Mom]

29. LOL!

[joeunderdog]

68. The chimps filed suit for defamation of character. n/t

[despairing optimist]

56. "I looked into his eyes, and I saw into his soul. . ."

This guy has possibilities. Cabinet post, maybe? Supreme Court is opening up soon. Don't rule out a run in '08 now that Rudy's toast. The trog look is so in, there's no telling how far he'll go.

All he needs is Rove, Blackwell, Diebold, and a few truckloads of bananas.

[ogradda]

5. What a talented and inventive young man.

Wish I'd thought of it.

[sherilocks]

6. Censorhip at its worst and in NYC, a center for art and culture

I just sent the Chelsea Market an email letting them know what I thought of removing Savido's painting of * . There is a contact the Chelsea Market at their website.

http://www.chelseamarket.com/

[billie_]

7. I cannot believe they took it down.....unreal, i will email them too n/t

[annabanana]

11. I think we should ALL email them.

They threw out the whole show because someone didn't like this picture. It's censorship of the most blatant variety. This outfit doesn't deserve to operate in this city.

[alfredo]

45. Oh My god! Art that makes people feel emotions

Heaven forbid!

[wakemewhenitsover]

8. How about a picture of a big chimpanzee...

...made up of little tiny images of Bush?

[DeepModem Mom]

9. Very clever, wmwio -- welcome to DU!

[flygal]

21. OH - the username I wish I had thought of!! Welcome!

[Ilsa]

25. Fabulous first post!

Welcome to DU, WMWIO! :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:

[wakemewhenitsover]

58. Thanks DUers. Such a welcome welcome...

Now I just have to figure out a few things, like, what does "kick" mean, what does "eom" stand for, and why doesn't anyone in the entire mainstream media seem to notice that John Kerry is asking for a recount?

[DeepModem Mom]

59. Answers

1. My personal definition of "kick" is that I don't have any wisdom to contribute to a thread, but I think others should see it, so I "kick" it back to the first page of a forum so it won't continue to sink out of view.

2. "eom" means "end of message" -- someone had only brief words of wisdom, and alerts people that if they click on the subject line, there will be no more text (others use "nt," for no text).

3. On the mainstream media (or "MSM"), don't get me started!

[wakemewhenitsover]

69. Thanks. In other words...

...ranking is controlled by the number of responses, and "kick" means add to that number; the absence of a kick therefore does not affect response ranking, but "kick" does?

[DeepModem Mom]

73. Hi, wake!

Any response to a thread "kicks" it back to the top of the forum -- even if the thread has no other responses, or very few. So the number of responses is not a factor in DU threads, except that once the number of responses reaches 30, the flaming symbol is attached to it (it's a "hot" topic), and, if people keep responding to a thread, it will then keep going back to the top, and stay among the first pages of a forum for a while before sinking to pages farther back.

If you notice a thread on the second or third page, for example, and think it should have another chance of being noticed by more people, simply respond to the thread with the word "kick" or any other word or comment, and the thread will instantly go to the top of the forum, so that it's the first thread people see when they look at that forum.

:)

[wakemewhenitsover]

74. Thanks, Mom. Or do you prefer Deep?

[DeepModem Mom]

75. LOL!

I love being called "Mom," here, and in "real" life.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

66. "Kick" is the equivalent of (bump) on other boards, a "kick" post

brings the thread back to the top of the board.

"eom" = end of message

n/t = no text

The last question I can't help you with.

[Danmel]

26. Truly unbelievable

There goes my New York City moral superiority thing, right out the window!


Welcome to DU WakeMe. :hi:

I too want to hibernate for four years!

[genieroze]

50. lol. eom

[HereSince1628]

10. Savido WILL sell millions of those posters

At least someone outside "the family" will benefit from the chimp.

BTW, Savido, when do you think I can buy these things?

[proudbluestater]

12. Gestapo tactics indeed! Where can I get the poster?

Seriously!

I have heard some buzz over this picture at a market, I had no idea what the controversy was all about. Why do they bow to pressure to take down works of art? Where is our Freedom of Expression?

[Eurobabe]

13. so now we are censoring artwork?

what's next?

[kskiska]

35. Nothing new. When Rudy was mayor

he threatened to withdraw public funding to the Brooklyn Museum and put together a "Decency Panel" (including his divorce lawyer and Curtis Sliwa) to decide which pieces of art were fit for New Yorkers to view in their museums. This occurred after the museum displayed an 8-ft. portrait of the Virgin Mary which featured elephant dung as one of its components.

[sherilocks]

14. Someone with more techie expertise can copy chimpy here

http://workmade.com/home.html

[DeepModem Mom]

15. Wow, sherilocks, thanks for the amazing close-up!!! Here it is --

Work of artist Christopher Savido

[psychopomp]

16. Fine work

Making art of a degenerate.　　Nice find!

[DeepModem Mom]

18. Agreed -- I know a little about art, and this is good work...

which shouldn't have been removed from exhibition for any reason.

[joanski01]

17. Wow! Thanks Mom!

I was hoping someone would do this so I could see a close-up. Little chimpies, hee hee hee!

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Lisa]

55. Delightful!

I particularly like the symbolism, of seeing "the truth" once you're close up and examining the work. Those who view it fleetingly or from a great distance (e.g. as far away as protesters are kept cordoned off?) would see what appears to be a serious statesmanlike pose (hah!).

Not as much shock value as the portrait made up of the deceased soldiers' photos -- or particularly, the wicked effort done using close-ups of a particular body orifice -- but if I had to have a portrait of W in my house, I would choose Savido's.

[wovenpaint]

38. IMHO, It's not ethical to just copy his work ...

we should get him to make prints, tee shirt, cards, etc. and-
BUY THEM!!!!
He is very creative and deserves to be supported by our community-including financially!!!

I'll join e-mail campaign to get him to do this...

[sherilocks]

19. You can email Savido here......

[e-mail]

I asked him if he was having prints made of Bush Monkey. I hope to hear back from him.

[klyon]

22. yes we should make this guy rich and famous

keep the story going, it makes them look very petty

KL

[NNN0LHI]

20. Saddam wouldn't have allowed an exhibition like this of him either

Just coincidence?

Don

[TalkingDog]

23. Damned Degenerate Art

Well, have two shows: Degenerate Art and State Sanctioned Art.

Then all artists will emmigrate and all the scientists and then the camps will be set up.....Does any of this sound familiar?

[malachi]

43. In the 1930's didn't the Nazis confiscate what the beleived to be

"Degenerate Art" and have a huge exhibition in Berlin? Degenerate Art - coming to a church near you this year. Whata great country.

[snippy]

24. These totalitarian republicans would REALLY hate these mosaics of Bush.

They are made of images of anuses.

For more info and downloads http://aor.macinbytes.com/

[genieroze]

51. I like the Douche Limpballs one, painkillers. lol eom

[slor]

27. I love it! n/t

[DrZeeLit]

30. Someone MUST market this... right NOW... with a censorship banner!

The arts have been taking major hits since the * admin elbowed their way in and began to suppress any dissent.

It's time for artists to really step up to the plate.
It can't just be Michael Moore and a few others. Dissent needs to grow. If you remember, the Vietname protests and the Moratorium started with a small movement and grew.

Christopher Savido is a hero for standing up and we need to support him. I'll buy a poster -- gladly!

Bring it on! -- that should be OUR battlecry!

[LisaL]

31. I agree with that decision. This so-called portrait was very insulting

to chimps.
:silly:

[peekaloo]

32. That pic would make a lovely Clear Channel billboard.

[atommom]

33. ROTFLMAO! I want a print of that. Someone invite the artiste to

open up a Cafe Press shop, and we'll make him a rich man. :D

[notadmblnd]

34. maybe using chipanzees wasn't such a good Idea

he should have used pictures of assholes. I can't find it now, but there was a portrait of * circulating on the "internets" that was composed entirely of peoples assholes. It was one of those things you don't want to look to closely at but just cant help.

[snippy]

52. Post 24 above. n/t

[yorkiemommie1]

36. when they chip away an one person's freedoms

we all lose.  some won't notice. some won't care.  that's
scary.

thank you for the contact info.

[wovenpaint]

37. Sent an e-mail, too!

AS an artist, this is appalling. And the subject matter shouldn't be considered so controversial-give me a break!
I asked them how they're going to enjoy it when all artwork is "provided" by the government.
I'm getting a visualization, and it ain't pretty!!!

[Trajan]

39. This reminds me of a book I read some time ago ....

Godel, Escher, Bach: The Eternal Golden Braid, by Douglas Hofstadter ...

What an amazing work of art (the book) ....

Anyways: Hofstadter dealt with such messages in a passage about 'reductionism' and 'holism' .... and how message-frames can exist on different levels and be cogent and recognizable ...

HH-----------AA------TT------TT-----EEEEEEE
HH---------AA--AA-----TT----TT-----EE
HH--------AA----AA-----TT--TT------EEEEE
HH---------AA--AA-------TTTT-------EE
HHHHHHHH----AA----------TT---------EEEEEEEE

Given the difficulty of using text graphically in these forums; that is about as good as that is going to get ...

Anyways: you get the idea .... Using chimps to create a portait of Chimpy McCokespoon seems a wholy appropriate reductionist/holistic message ....

[AlCzervik]

40. OMG!!! He is excellent!!!!!

[GingerSnaps]

41. Mr. Savido has talent.

Does anyone know how hard it would be to put chimps together to make a drawing?

[htuttle]

42. Stalin was terrified of artists and poets too

One of the true marks of a totalitarian is whether they are afraid of art.

[enough]

53. Welcome to the United States of Soviet America.

[noshenanigans]

44. If it was a Clinton made out of penises and cigars..

You just know it would be praised for being "daring."

[sherilocks]

47. Kick

For the afternoon crowd.

:kick:

[genieroze]

48. " It's un-American." Yes but this is now AmeriKKKa fascist style. eom

[genieroze]

49. Send that man a cigar! eom

[madison2000]

54. I'll bet President CHIMP can't swim!

:evilgrin:

[0rganism]

57. 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?

[sherilocks]

60. Limited Print Edition Available

E-mail from Chris Savido:

You can purchase limited edition giclee prints through my site,
workmade.com. The "buy now" button is through Paypal, but you do not
need a Paypal account to make a purchase. Thank you for your support.

Chris Savido
workmade.com

http://www.workmade.com/home.html

[DeepModem Mom]

61. Thanks, sherilocks -- I posted in GD, so more DUers would see this...

giving you grateful credit!

[sherilocks]

62. Thanks, Mom n/t

[WCGreen]

63. My EMail to Chelsea......

More of a comment ending with a question. As a Midwesterner, I hold dear the perception that NYC is an oasis of civility, the kind that promotes civilization, not the polite kind, in a growing sea of crassness and crude behavior that threatens the spirit of our great country. And so when I discovered the abrupt and heavy handedness of management’s behavior toward an art exhibit that was, granted, political in nature, I silently wept.
Where else is there to turn if NYC has become as philistine as Columbus Ohio?

[cshldoc]

64. Attn All NYC-area DU-ers

Here's what I wrote:

I am writing to protest the removal of artwork by Mr. Christopher Savido from its venue at Chelsea Market. I saw this work in person and there's no way it could be considered offensive to the extent that it violates community standards and must be removed. That this occurred is regrettable and to me, along with many of my friends and colleagues, a totally unacceptable business practice on your part. As such, I will not return to Chelsea Market until a sincere public apology is made to Mr. Savido.

May suggest some of you do the same.. however, they've taken their public email address offline (the one available at the web form for contacting them). So, I've taken the liberty of posting the contact for the owner of the ChelseaMarket.com domain:

Heger, Stefan, [e-mail]
Fisheye
88 10TH AVE
NEW YORK, NY 10011-4721
US
212-243-6005 fax: [phone]

Perhaps Mr. Heger can pass along our condolences to the management or owner of Chelsea Market, as he appears to either work for them or be friends with them.

[DeepModem Mom]

65. Welcome to DU, cshldoc!

[sherilocks]

67. Chelsea Market email is hard to find, but it's there

Look in the left side column for Marketplace and click. At the next screen, scroll down to the bottom. Look through the fine print at the bottom and you will see "email". Click.

[republikkkon]

70. i tried their email response system...

and got this message:

"ARRAY(0x862df08) is an invalid email address."

[sherilocks]

71. I've heard this from another DUer

They must have shut down their email.....See no chimps, hear no chimps, and ignore anyone who complains about it. Typical myopic freeper behavior.

[not fooled]

72. I think they shut it down....

I got the same "error" message when I tried to send. They must be tired of being reminded that history will judge harshly those whose cowardice led to intimidation by the fascists in power.

I had just composed a brief missive letting them know how *disappointed* I was to find that in NYC, of all places, the purveyors of art and culture could be cowed by the thugs running the country.

[wordout]

76. kick

this portrait reveals so much more than "chimps swimming in a marshy landscape".