George Bush made monkey of by artist

While U.S. President Bush is not made of chimpanzees, an artist's impression of him that way has the art world in an uproar, the New York Times reports.

The uproar began last week in New York, when a portrait of Bush by Pittsburgh artist Christopher Savido was included in a 60-piece show hung in Chelsea Market.

From afar, the 23-year-old's work, "Bush Monkeys," appears to be a likeness of the president. But viewed up close the image is made up of hundreds of images of chimps swimming in a marshy landscape.

That sent one Chelsea Market director over the edge, demanding show promoter Bucky Turco shut down the exhibit.

By Saturday -- a month earlier than planned -- Turco removed the entire exhibit.

"I'm hoping to find a sympathetic gallery to put on this show," Turco said. "I don't like being censored."

Artist Savido said he doesn't understand the uproar either.

"I saw one woman gave it the finger but I think it wasn't directed at the painting," he said.

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