Art And Sole: Patrons Pitch Shoes At Bush Image

Gallery-goers In Oregon Step Out And Pay A Buck To Pitch A Shoe At An Image Of Bush

(AP)  Art was laced up with political statement as a gallery opened an exhibit with a paint-splattered fundraiser that featured a "shoe throw" at an image of President George W. Bush.

City Councilor Eric Navickas _ who opened the MAda Shell Gallery with partner Amy Godard _ slathered 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, with the funds to go toward future gallery exhibits.

Godard said the exhibit is a "statement of solidarity" with Muntadhar al-Zeidi, the Iraqi journalist who was arrested after hurling two shoes at Bush in protest during a Baghdad news conference last month.

One contributor was 91-year-old Marjorie Mather.

"Wow, I didn't know that was going to be so much fun," she said after smacking a shoe into the Bush image.

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Information from: The Ashland Daily Tidings, http://www.dailytidings.com