29 Oct 2009

Artist sculpts Environment Minister in dung as protest

6:56 pm on 29 October 2009

Environment Minister Nick Smith is laughing off a sculpture of him made out of cow manure, which is being auctioned on the Trade Me website.

The portrait, by Canterbury artist and writer Sam Mahon, is described as light, hollow and highly polished, sitting on a steel stand slightly right of centre.

Mahon says he made the sculpture in protest at the plight of the country's waterways.

He says 90% of the country's lowland streams are polluted and he wanted to send a message with the sculpture to the Minister.

Mahon says he has not got money to run campaigns or put up billboards but he can use his art to express his ideas. "This the best way I can express the idea that the Minister for the Environment is letting us all down."

Mr Smith says he was surprised at the likeness to him, but he will not be bidding.

He described Mahon as obviously pretty creative and "all credit to him".