VIENNA, Austria (AFP) - Austria was red-faced Friday, two days before assuming the presidency of the European Union, over a controversial art show on the theme of Europe, which saw two posters removed for being too provocative.

Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said the scandal - echoed around the world - "was not useful" and "this act would not help" her countrymen feel any more pro-European.

One of the controversial art posters designed to promote Austria's presidency of the European Union. Some of the posters were later removed after severe public outrage. (Photo: AP)

"It's a disgrace for Austria" was the headline Friday of the popular anti-European daily Kronen Zeitung, which campaigned against the part-government funded project of works by artists from the EU's 25 countries, put on display in Vienna this week.

Under pressure, the two most controversial posters were removed Thursday evening, one showing three people writhing naked while wearing masks of Queen Elizabeth II, US President George W Bush and French President Jacques Chirac.
The other piece, criticised by feminists and passers-by, showed a woman sprawled, legs apart, wearing nothing except panties bearing the European flag.

Several commentators however condemned Friday what they saw as a violation of artistic freedom under pressure from the Kronen Zeitung, and the creator of the "EU panties" piece denounced "public censorship".

The opposition Social-Democrats (SPOe), the far-right and the Catholic Church had also criticised the "EuropArt" project.
The office of Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel said the government had not viewed the posters beforehand.

With the removal of the two disputed images, 146 posters by 73 European artists remain and will stay up in Vienna and Salzburg until late January.

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