ASHLAND, Ore. (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.

(Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.)

The following photographs are courtesy Eric Navickas and the MAda Shell Gallery