An art gallery in Ashland, Oregon, opened a new exhibit with a paint-splattered fundraiser that featured a 'shoe throw' at an image of the departing President George W. Bush.
City Councilor Eric Navickas, who opened the MAda Shell Gallery with partner Amy Godard, used a paint roller to slather a layer of red paint on the soles of sneakers, boots and sandals before people fired the footwear at an 8-foot image of Bush.
Each shot cost $1 at Friday's opening, and the funds collected will go toward future gallery exhibits.
One contributor was 91-year-old Marjorie Mather.
"Wow, I didn't know that was going to be so much fun!" she said, throwing up her hands in victory after smacking a shoe into the picture of Bush. "Before, I said, 'I can't do it. I'm not happy with Bush, but I can't throw a shoe at him.' But then you get into the spirit of the thing and you say, 'Why not?'"
Mather may have been the oldest to 'Shoe Bush' at the First Friday event, but 13-year-old Luke VanCampen was among the youngest.
"I think it's a funny idea and I guess it's a good way to collect extra money for the gallery," he said. "Everybody wants to shoe Bush — well, almost everybody."
Although laughter accompanied the sound of each shoe smacking the Bush portrait, the message behind the installation was serious. Godard said the exhibit is a 'statement of solidarity' for Muntadhar al-Zeidi, the Iraqi journalist who was arrested after hurling two shoes at Bush last month.
"He was tortured for it and he's still in prison. We're calling for his release," she said.
Other funny stuff to read:
City Councilor Eric Navickas, who opened the MAda Shell Gallery with partner Amy Godard, used a paint roller to slather a layer of red paint on the soles of sneakers, boots and sandals before people fired the footwear at an 8-foot image of Bush.
Each shot cost $1 at Friday's opening, and the funds collected will go toward future gallery exhibits.
One contributor was 91-year-old Marjorie Mather.
"Wow, I didn't know that was going to be so much fun!" she said, throwing up her hands in victory after smacking a shoe into the picture of Bush. "Before, I said, 'I can't do it. I'm not happy with Bush, but I can't throw a shoe at him.' But then you get into the spirit of the thing and you say, 'Why not?'"
Mather may have been the oldest to 'Shoe Bush' at the First Friday event, but 13-year-old Luke VanCampen was among the youngest.
"I think it's a funny idea and I guess it's a good way to collect extra money for the gallery," he said. "Everybody wants to shoe Bush — well, almost everybody."
Although laughter accompanied the sound of each shoe smacking the Bush portrait, the message behind the installation was serious. Godard said the exhibit is a 'statement of solidarity' for Muntadhar al-Zeidi, the Iraqi journalist who was arrested after hurling two shoes at Bush last month.
"He was tortured for it and he's still in prison. We're calling for his release," she said.
Did you like our post? If so, please subscribe to our RSS feed to receive more updates. Thank you for reading!
Other funny stuff to read:
Eric Navickas and Amy Godard. I find your idea of paint-shoe-throwing at George Bush’s image rather tasteless and not funny at all. I can’t believe you are a city council man of Ashland, Eric. What kind of people live in Ashland to have elected you. You think you are so right in what you do? You are a bunch of righteous hypocrites.
And what’s that solidarity to al-Zeidi? Are you also a supporter of Saddam Hussein? Or Osama Bin Laden? Or Hamas maybe? I know you are (ab)using your freedom of speech.