Obama art ads draw complaints

Boston -- Illegally placed advertisements for a massive Boston mural depicting multiple composites of Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama have drawn complaints.

Artist Ron English said his 13-foot high and nearly one block long mural was designed to provoke dialogue, but instead it yielded a flurry of complaints for posters promoting the piece that were placed by English's supporters on windows, telephone polls and other surfaces without permission, The Boston Globe reported Tuesday.

Gallery XIV, which sponsored the exhibit, said it received a call from Boston police about posters that were placed without permission at the nearby Boston Center for the Arts. The gallery said it had nothing to do with the posters, which were plastered about town by supporters of English, who is famous for his often unauthorized street art.

"My best alibi and the truth is that I had no idea what we were getting into," said Will Kerr, director of exhibition sponsor Gallery XIV. "We were just interested in the installation on Thayer Street, which is an incredible work of art. I'm really trying to be a good neighbor and do damage control."

English, who supports the Illinois senator's bid for president, said he had "no problem" with his supporters spreading the posters -- which depict miniature versions of the mural -- around the town.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.