A small crowd attended the beginning of McGowan's trip at the Lincoln Center in Manhattan, but those that were there were keen to join in.
"It felt real good to kick Bush," said Casmirr Sharp, a New York resident.
"He really deserves more than a kick." McGowan said he hoped his performance proves therapeutic to the city's denizens.
Street art
McGowan insisted his work was more than just a publicity stunt: "It's definitely an art form.
A lot of the things I do are a bit silly but they always have a political edge to them."
McGowan said he does not have any particular political stance on the Republican president, who has seen his approval ratings plunge in the face of the unpopular war in Iraq.
The artist made his name in Britain with a series of controversial acts including a performance called "Dead Soldier" where he dressed up in army clothing and lay in streets for a week.
He has also crawled 60 miles from London to the town of Canterbury.