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The artist under fire for the latest art installation in Calgary says he’s “sorry if anyone feels offended” by the piece.

Thursday’s announcement of the “Bowfort Towers” — steel beams cradled Rundle rock — immediately had social media erupt in controversy around the New York artist, the $500,000 price tag and the fact many of the Blackfoot people say it looks too similar to traditional burial scaffolds.

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Del Geist, the artist behind the piece, said he has been creating art for more than 40 years and has done sculptures like the Bowfort Towers all across the world without controversy like he’s seeing in Calgary.

“I’m getting hate mail because of you people. I’ve never had that in my life, in 40 years of doing public art everywhere, ever. It’s because of how the press is going for the sensation and stirring it.”

Addressing the issues surrounding the likeness of his art to burial scaffolds, Geist told Postmedia he’s familiar with burial scaffolds, his artwork is not that and it’s inappropriate to refer to them that way.