“How exactly does one become an authority on questioning authority?” we asked in our 2011 interview with Shepard Fairey called “Too “Street” For Corporate, Too Corporate For The Street”. Even though he doesn’t mention us in his new tome “Covert to Overt” we feel like we called the paradox right with that characterization, one that recognizes the complexity of advocating for rooting out the corruption of a system while adeptly playing it at the same time.

Shepard Fairey. Cover To Overt. Rizzoli, New York 2015. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Chronicling the last 6 years or so of murals, wheatpastes, shows, screen prints, posters, collaborations and art products that Fairey has brought to the fore, “Covert to Overt” is also chock-full of endorsements and analysis of his work’s impact from people who he’s met along the way like Jello Biafra to Neil Young to Pedro Alonzo, Russell Brand and D*Face.

Shepard Fairey. Cover To Overt. Rizzoli, New York 2015. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Sean Bonner recounts a night wheatpasting with the Street Artist and the personal ruminations that can surface when sharing such bonding covert behavior, “We talked about small actions that can have huge impacts. Writing a song. Telling someone about a band. Creating an image that makes people ask questions. Simple actions that can change the world.”

In fact it is a series of simple and complex actions that are changing the world when it comes to Fairey, and his is an antidote to the cynical politics that rule the day. In this age of Wikileaks revelations, cleverly disguised oil wars, and social cancers like racism and classicism no longer hidden under subterfuge but brandished with flair, Fairey’s meditations on the overt and covert are more emblematic of our time than we realized.

Shepard Fairey. Cover To Overt. Rizzoli, New York 2015. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Shepard Fairey. Cover To Overt. Rizzoli, New York 2015. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Shepard Fairey. Cover To Overt. Rizzoli, New York 2015. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Shepard Fairey. Cover To Overt. Rizzoli, New York 2015. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Shepard Fairey. Cover To Overt. Rizzoli, New York 2015. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Shepard Fairey. Cover To Overt. Rizzoli, New York 2015. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Shepard Fairey. Cover To Overt. Rizzoli, New York 2015. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Shepard Fairey. Cover To Overt. Rizzoli, New York 2015. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Last night in London an exhibition opened featuring the work of Fairey’s most favored photographers, Jon Furlong.  The show closes on Sunday and the book is available there as well.

Covert To Overt: Photography of Obey Giant by Jon Furlong
December 2nd – 6th, 2015

House of Vans
Arches 228 – 232
Station Approach Rd
Waterloo, London

Wed – Fri: 4pm – 10pm
Sat.: 10am – 10pm
Sun: 12pm – 6pm

Shepard Fairey “Covert To Overt” Published by Rizzoli. New York, NY 2015. Click HERE for more on this book.

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