<div id="subtitle">Artist makes sculpture of New Zealand lawmaker from cow manure to protest pollution policy</div><div><p>A sculpture of a New Zealand government minister crafted from cow manure sold for New Zealand dollars 3,080 ($2,220) on an auction Web site. The bust of New Zealand Environment Minister Nick Smith, sculpted as a protest by artist Sam Mahon, attracted 112 bids before being picked up by an anonymous buyer on Friday.</p><p>Mahon said he created the sculpture, and chose the medium, to protest what he considers Smith's too-soft stance on pollution created by dairy farms. He said the bust did not smell and would last forever.</p><p>"The sculpture has a hollow head, which is very fitting. It is highly polished and sits on the stand slightly to the right of center," Mahon said.</p><p>Mahon gathered cow dung from an organic dairy farm, ground it in a coffee grinder, mixed it with a polymer resin and pressed it into a mold. He polished the sculpture with beeswax to create a finish that resembles bronze.</p><p>Smith joked about the tribute Friday.</p><p>"Excuse the pun, but I would describe it as crap art," he said.</p><p>Mahon's said he will use the proceeds from the auction to help clean up waterways polluted by effluent from dairy farms near his home.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=62854088&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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