All posts tagged: Shepard Fairey

May Day 2023: “The U.S. is a country built on immigration”- Fairey

May Day 2023: “The U.S. is a country built on immigration”- Fairey

I’m an immigrant rights activist because I believe in the promise of opportunity this country was founded on.”

Shepard Fairey


“Immigrants pay more taxes than they consume in benefits,” writes Alex Nowrasteh on his Substack. He’s one of the authors of a brand new 242-page study published by the conservative Cato Institute, called “The Fiscal Impact of Immigration in the United States”

Cato knows that immigrants (documented and undocumented) greatly benefit the country economically because they base their exhaustive study on data collected by the US Government, which also annually makes meticulous studies of the benefits of having immigrant labor to keep an economy alive and growing. But it is not only think tanks and governments who keep this meticulously detailed data proving the net financial benefits of keeping workers employed who are not granted equal pay, rights, or protections; so do all the banks and corporations across the globe.

Shepard Fairey
Workers’ Rights
Canvas : Mixed Media Painting
Mixed Media
44 inches by 60 inches
2016

Imagine how you would benefit if you could hire workers in your business who live in fear of getting arrested or being separated from family members. You could pay them lower wages and offer no sick days, vacation days, pensions, insurance, medical care, or even safe working conditions. These business owners know that these lowered costs and repressed wages make them more significant profit. It has always been true and, for many, a temptation too great to resist.

So why don’t we see this on the news or hear it from the political class? We rarely, if ever, do.

Today on International Workers Day, celebrated in much of the world, we’ll be regaled instead by stories of frightful “illegals” at the border and the Biden administration’s plans to lift Title 42 restrictions, and how we’ll soon be flooded by arriving Mexicans, Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans. If the past is prologue, and it usually is, the US and its captains of industry will continue to profit from the labor of new arrivals as it has for centuries, despite any heated rhetoric from your TV news host of choice.

Shepard Fairey. Immigration Reform Now!
Offset Print
24 x 35 inches
Edition of Open

Street artist and fine artist Shepard Fairey has kept our collective eye on socio-political matters through his posters, advocacy, and donations of work and time to causes of the worker over the last three decades or so, and today we feature some of his work to celebrate May 1st. He also offers a few words to BSA readers as we think about the contributions of immigrants to the economic and cultural wealth of the US and how all workers deserve fundamental basic rights no matter who they are.

I’m an immigrant rights activist because I believe in the promise of opportunity this country was founded on. The U.S. is a country built on immigration by people leaving their homes to build a better life. That concept should not be something only open to white Europeans from decades and centuries past, but for all those seeking work and asylum. Only a short while ago whites were the immigrants to this land seeking a better life, so let’s not allow short memory and racism to diminish our compassion for those who want to work hard for a good life in the U.S. now!”

Shepard Fairey

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Farm_Workers

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Behind the Scenes at Beyond The Streets London / Recap

Behind the Scenes at Beyond The Streets London / Recap

Behind the scenes at “Beyond the Streets London” is a hive of activity, with artists deeply focused on installing their work and seeking assistance with tools and equipment. Curators, organizers, and lighting professionals are bustling up and down the stairs, carrying props, or ladders, and communicating with vendors and artists via text message. Salespeople are diligently crafting wall texts to accompany the art pieces. It’s a few hours before showtime, yet everything is somehow accomplished just as the first guests arrive for the preview.

According to our sources, this subway installation included actual wires and security cameras were “nicked”. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)

Photographer Martha Cooper is electrified by the activity at Saatchi Gallery. The event preserves the rich history of graffiti, street art, and commerce while pushing forward with new trends and directions. Cooper, who has documented this scene since the 1970s, has attended and exhibited in “Beyond the Streets” exhibitions in New York and Los Angeles – and we anticipate the next stop could be Shanghai. This particular iteration showcases an evolving mix of archetypes and invention, drawing on diverse influences from the US, UK, and EU.

Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)

Cooper observed many surprising music references at the show. Rock icon Eric Clapton was at the opening admiring a photograph of text declaring him to be God while filmmaker, musician, and BBC radio host Don Letts had a personal collection of his memorabilia/ephemera on display. Ron West, designer of the “Duck Rock” boombox, also made a sudden appearance at the opening, allowing guests to pose with his creation. Among the standout pieces was a Bob Gruen photo of Malcolm McLaren holding that boombox in front of Keith Haring’s Houston Street wall, a masterpiece of intersectionality, if you will.

Overall, “Beyond the Streets London” offers a smorgasbord of colors, flavors, and influences that are difficult to encapsulate in one show. However, Gastman, the visionary, gives it a good try, with a respectful nod to the many artists who have shaped this worldwide people’s art movement. Enjoy these behind-the-scenes shots from Ms. Cooper.

AgnesB at Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Aiko doing the last minute touch-up. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Aiko. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
NYC’s CES, a leader in characters with a streamlined and aerodynamic ‘wildstyleʼ, Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Conor Harrington. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
SoCal Stecyk artist known for writing and photographs documenting surfing and skateboarding culture, CR StecyK. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
CR StecyK. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
OG Daze extends the space of this subway car. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Don Letts looking at an installation of items from his personal collection. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Don Letts and BTS mastermind Roger Gastman. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
DRAX. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Martha’s famous Dondi photograph shows up in the most surprising places. Martha Cooper. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Lawrence Watson with his iconic shot of Chuck D and Flavor Flav of Public Enemy. His other well known photos include Jam Master Jay, DMC, Rev Run, Chuck D, Flavor Flav and “Cool” James Todd Smith. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Clapton. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Clapton with Shepard Fairey. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Escif. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Espo. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Fab5 Freddy with his painting based on Martha Cooper’s photo of his soup can car. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Futura standing before his large stage backdrop created during the Radio Clash tour at the Lyceum Ballroom, London (1981). Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Futura with a mystery friend. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
HAZE in front of his new piece. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Henry Chalfant’s wall of train car sides was massive. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Husk Mit Navn. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Janette Beckman has helped you make selections with her red marker. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
John Ahearn in front of a poster for the seminal movie he directed. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Kenny Scharf points the way at Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Kenny Scharf. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Roger Gastman with old school graffiti writer “Pride”. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Ron West, creator of the original Duck Rock boombox. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
A guest posing with Ron West’s boom box. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Mode2 prepping his canvas. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Shepard Fairey wheat pasting his iconic Obey image of Andre the Giant. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Paul Insect. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Niels Shoe Meulman. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Installation of Toby Mott’s huge collection of punk ephemera (Mott not pictured). Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Vhils outside next to his sculpture for Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Vhils’ crew is pasting layers of posters on stairway in preparation for carving, which came later. Vhils. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
OG Zephyr in his clean wildstyle. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)
Shepard Fairey, Fab Five Freddy, Charlie Ahearn, Roger Gastman, and Janette Beckman. Beyond The Streets – London. Saatchi Gallery. (photo © Martha Cooper)

Beyond The Streets – London. Click HERE for more details, the schedule of events, tickets, and exhibition times.

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BSA Images Of The Week: 02.26.23

BSA Images Of The Week: 02.26.23

Welcome to BSA Images of the Week! Optimo NYC on the Houston wall yo! Born and bred, a true New Yorker, and deserving of this wall after paying dues for years. Why does this wall sometimes look better when curated by the street? The holy chaos that reigns here is the pure DNA of the city, unbossed and unbought.

This week the street art is fresh! Never mind the proxy wars, the exploding trains, the 30% YOY drop in 401Ks, the transitory inflation that wasn’t, the Chinese spy balloons that weren’t, the Nordstream 2, the effort to privatize Social Security, the polarization that is encouraged by the media, and the increasing difficulty of New Yorkers to pay the bills… we still have a lot of extraordinary artists, and they are profligate! Also, we have Flaco, the Central Park owl fugitive, and his adorable ear tufts.

Here’s our weekly interview with the street, this week featuring: Shepard Fairey, Sticker Maul, Modomatic, Bad Brains, NYC Kush Co, Optimo NYC, Pest AC, Valentin Vewer, Holly Sims, Eternal Possessions, Cloudy is Here, and Gosup.

Optimo NYC (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Optimo NYC (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Gosup (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Cloudy is Here (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Cloudy is Here (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
NYC Kush Co (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Eternal Possesions (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Holly Sims (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Unidentified artist (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Modomatic (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Shepard Fairey’s tribute to Bad Brains from a photograph by Glen F. Friedman in collaboration with The L.I.S.A. Project NYC. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sticker Maul (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Valentin Vewer (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Valentin Vewer (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Pest AC (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Pest AC (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Pest AC (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Pest AC (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Pest AC (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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Wynwood Walls 2022 – Wynwood, Miami

Wynwood Walls 2022 – Wynwood, Miami

“A splash of color” is how many local news programs nationally brightened people’s day at the end of an episode with a local art segment in the last decade. More often than not, they were talking about new murals going up around town, or more specifically, in a moribund business district that needed some foot traffic. The camera pans to catch massive murals of bright posies and a closeup of a paint-splattered ponytailed Picasso in overalls perched high atop a cherry picker.

Dulk. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Here in Wynwood Walls the crowds were coursing in the midst of the splash between Christmas and New Years Day, an outdoor art gallery exhibit that allows a family to enjoy the mural movement with confined fences and personal tour guides. Free of politics essentially and pumped full of visual stimulation, the side-by-side murals from an international roster prove excellent backdrops for selfies and safe enjoyment by everyone from the stroller set to blue-haired family royalty.  This is more than just a splash of color; this is a specifically focused kaleidoscope of images that give one view of the current scene away from the wild untamed streets, created for guests to have an entertaining afternoon and possibly see a street art hero.

While you are here, check out the current exhibit in the gallery with Hebru Brantley, or a collection of unrelated canvasses in the Goldman Global Arts store. Naturally, you’ll want to exit through the gift shop.

Bicicleta Sem Freio. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Bicicleta Sem Freio. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Bicicleta Sem Freio. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Bicicleta Sem Freio. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Drik The Villain channeling Tron and Styx for this layering of the past/future. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hebru Brantley on cloud nine perhaps at Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Hebru Brantley inside the compound. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mikael B. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Mikael B. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lelin Alves. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Lelin Alves. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Shepard Fairey. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Shepard Fairey. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Shepard Fairey. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Shepard Fairey. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jessie and Katey. Detail. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jessie and Katey. Detail. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Jessie and Katey. Detail. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Millo. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Millo. Wynwood Walls 2022. Wynwood, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

For Wynwood Walls schedule of events, hours of operation, ticket prices, and directions click HERE

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“City As Canvas”. Artists Panel Celebrates LISA Project NYC

“City As Canvas”. Artists Panel Celebrates LISA Project NYC

Celebrating Ten Years

New York has seen its share of people jumping into and out of the Street Art scene over the last couple of decades, and only a few have had the staying power of the non-profit org L.I.S.A. Project. Run by two guys who live on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Wayne Rada and Rey Rosa, L.I.S.A. has brought several international street artists to private walls in Little Italy, Chinatown, and their environs.

Shepard Fairey (photo© Jaime Rojo)
Tristan Eaton (photo© Jaime Rojo)

Big fans and collectors of street art themselves, the guys have hustled to get walls, lifts, and paint for artists they are fans of and some of the newcomers on the scene. Call it a private/public initiative that has steadily given artists opportunities and the locals one more reason to chuckle at the selfie-taking tourists who make this town tick.

Jorit (photo© Jaime Rojo)

Tonight to make the 10th anniversary and their new print program, L.I.S.A. Project joins with urban art clearinghouse West Chelsea Contemporary to host a panel featuring artists Crash, Daze, curator and graffiti expert Sean Corcoran, moderated by culture critic and curator Carlo McCormick. The doors are open at 6, and the talk begins promptly at 6:30.

Participating artists within the first series include Ron English, Indie184, John “CRASH” Matos x Chris “DAZE” Ellis, and Shepard Fairey.

The silkscreen editions are printed by Gary Lichtenstein Editions and published by W.C.C. Editions. 

West Chelsea Contemporary 231 10th Avenue New York, NY 10011

Shepard Fairey, Ron English, John “CRASH” Matos x Chris “DAZE” Ellis and Indie184. (Image courtesy of The L.I.S.A. Project N.Y.C.)
Ron English. “Temper Tot Tramples Guernica”” (image courtesy of The L.I.S.A. Project N.Y.C.)
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BSA Film Friday: 10.28.22

BSA Film Friday: 10.28.22

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Our weekly focus on the moving image and art in the streets. And other oddities.

Now screening:
1. Shepard Fairey – The Intersection of Art and Music
2. La Fuite – Pantonio. Via Street Art Fest Grenoble – Alpes 2022
3. Iran’s anti-Hijab protests enter 5th Week

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BSA Special Feature: Shepard Fairey – The Intersection of Art and Music

It’s an advertisement for something but Shepard’s recollections of making the connection between art and music, specifically between the punk era and its effect on his creatively formative years, go a long way to illustrate his recurring themes and aesthetic. Interesting that the title is part of a Sound and Vision series, the same theme that is currently running through Faile’s work at their new club downtown, Deluxx Fluxx; “an immersive visual and audial art space and arcade”.

Shepard Fairey – The Intersection of Art and Music – Via Syng

La Fuite – Pantonio. Via Street Art Fest Grenoble – Alpes 2022

A gentle flickering flyby of “The Flight” by Pantonio for the Street Art Fest Grenoble in the Alps.

“Escape or think about the moment a single gesture changed direction,” says Pantonio.”When resistance collaborates in the opposite direction. Each one with his poetry or his determination”

Directed by Olivier Ruggiu Video Assistant: Yannis Lefrançois Drone by Olivier Ruggiu, Images by Oliver Ruggiu.

Iran’s anti-Hijab protests enter 5th Week

In the category of art in the streets, free speech, and protest; We focus on the fifth week of widespread anti-Hijab protests that continue to rock Iran amid the rising calls for the country’s leadership to step down. Iran’s Supreme leader Ali Khamenei has now issued a warning to the protesters- as he speaks to largely audiences of men, while the protesters are, in the majority, women.

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“Make Art Not War”; Recreating a Fairey Mural & Helping Ukrainians in Gainseville, Florida

“Make Art Not War”; Recreating a Fairey Mural & Helping Ukrainians in Gainseville, Florida

Visionary Fam, a team of local artists from Gainesville, Florida, have completed a new mural by street artist Shepard Fairey, thanks to an initiative by local street art curator Irina Kanishcheva. The native of Lviv, Ukraine, has been looking for an opportunity to express solidarity with Ukrainians during the current war with Russia. With Fairey’s imprimatur, the team recreated one of his recent classic designs, now interpreted with the yellow and blue Ukrainian national colors.

Jah Seck helps with the execution of Shepard Fairey’s Make Art Not War mural in collaboration with Monochronicle for the Can Art Help Fight a War project. Gainesville, Florida. (photo © Charles Alan Rye)

It’s a straight-forward project; create art that shows solidarity on a wall donated by local business owner Scott Shillington of The Top, and keep the conversation going. They even raised three thousand dollars to send to folks there, thanks to Irina’s homemade borscht and vodka drinks. It’s good to see small groups come together to make a change – that’s the best way to circumvent the powerful interests who sometimes are making a profit off the fire, in fact who may be the arsonists.

Visionary Fam team executes Shepard Fairey’s Make Art Not War mural in collaboration with Monochronicle for the Can Art Help Fight a War project. Gainesville, Florida. (photo © Charles Alan Rye)
Julia Monteiro helps with the execution of Shepard Fairey’s Make Art Not War mural in collaboration with Monochronicle for the Can Art Help Fight a War project. Gainesville, Florida. (photo © Charles Alan Rye)
Shepard Fairey. Detail. Make Art Not War mural in collaboration with Monochronicle for the Can Art Help Fight a War project. Gainesville, Florida. (photo © Charles Alan Rye)
Shepard Fairey. Make Art Not War mural in collaboration with Monochronicle for the Can Art Help Fight a War project. Gainesville, Florida. (photo © Charles Alan Rye)
Shepard Fairey. Make Art Not War mural in collaboration with Monochronicle for the Can Art Help Fight a War project. Gainesville, Florida. (photo © Charles Alan Rye)
Group shot. Make Art Not War mural in collaboration with Monochronicle for the Can Art Help Fight a War project. Gainesville, Florida. (photo © Charles Alan Rye)
Shepard Fairey. Make Art Not War mural in collaboration with Monochronicle for the Can Art Help Fight a War project. Gainesville, Florida. (photo © Charles Alan Rye)
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Robbie Conal: Politics & Blasphemy, Streetwise Caricatures for 3+ Decades

Robbie Conal: Politics & Blasphemy, Streetwise Caricatures for 3+ Decades

The political caricature is a treasured form of public discourse that still holds as much power as it did when we relied on the printing press. Able to express sentiment and opinion without uttering a syllable, the artist can sway the direction of conversation with skill, insight, and humor. Artist Robbie Conal has built a career from visually roasting the most sebaceous of our various leaders in the last few decades, often bringing his posters to the street and installing them in advertisers’ wildposting manner.

With the briefest of texts, slogans, or twisted nicknames, he reveals the underbelly as a face, dropping expectations into the sewer. If it were as simple as a political party, one might try to dismiss his work as only partisan. But Conal’s work functions more as an ex-ray, and frequently the resulting scan finds cancer.

In this newer book by author G. James Daichendt, EdD, who has written previously about Kenny Scharf and Shepard Fairey and in The Urban Canvas: Street Art Around the World (Weldon Owen, 2017), Conal is thoroughly recorded, examined, and explained. A street artist, among many other things, Daichendt calls Conal an “LA fixture and someone who is universally respected for the passion and vitality that he has brought to his work as an artist and teacher for several decades.”

Chapters of Conal’s interests and opinions are thoughtfully compiled and laid out, the artist seemingly never out of a fresh supply of political figures to skewer. As an object lesson, his practice is what draws him near and dear to the part of the street art community who uses the streets to communicate, advocate, and rebuke the hypocrisies in culture and politics


“I vividly remember the first time I saw Robbie Conal’s art because it felt like the exact thing I was meant to see but didn’t realize it until I experienced it,” says Shepard Fairey in his foreword. In his description, one can see that this artist has influenced Fairey, among others, but particularly.

“From that moment of discovering Robbie’s work forward, I had a clearer vision of what art could be… A poster on a corner utility box caught my eye … it was an image of Ronald Reagan on a bright yellow background with bold type that said CONTRA above and DICTION below. Then, a block later, I spotted another one. Now I was on the lookout, and the Contra-Diction posters seemed to be on every corner,” Fairey says. “This Contra-Diction poster spoke to me as a communiqué from a truthful voice of the people.”

High praise indeed.

ROBBIE CONAL / STREETWISE. 35 YEARS OF POLITICALLY CHARGED GUERRILLA ART. By G. James Daichendt. With a foreword by Shepard Fairey. Published by Schiffer Publishing LTD. Atglen, PA

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There Goes the Djerbahood: Shepard Fairey Arrives in Tunisia

There Goes the Djerbahood: Shepard Fairey Arrives in Tunisia

We have brought you many images and artists from here since The Djerbahood Project began a decade or so ago – with the French Galerie Itinerrance organizers inviting street artists of various styles and influences to this Mediterranean island to transform the public environment, and of course to stoke interest in their artwork. Erriadh is literally an open air gallery, with over a hundred works filling this two-thousand year old village. Today we bring you new installations of works by Shepard Fairey, whose graphic geometries and pop colorways contrast sharply with the sun-drenched walls and small streets.  

Shepard Fairey. Djerbahood. A Project of Itinerrance Gallery. Hara Sghira Er Riadh, Tunisia (photo © Lionel-Belluteau)
Shepard Fairey. Djerbahood. A Project of Itinerrance Gallery. Hara Sghira Er Riadh, Tunisia (photo © Lionel-Belluteau)
Shepard Fairey. Djerbahood. A Project of Itinerrance Gallery. Hara Sghira Er Riadh, Tunisia (photo © Lionel-Belluteau)
Shepard Fairey. Djerbahood. A Project of Itinerrance Gallery. Hara Sghira Er Riadh, Tunisia (photo © Lionel-Belluteau)
Shepard Fairey. Djerbahood. A Project of Itinerrance Gallery. Hara Sghira Er Riadh, Tunisia (photo © Lionel-Belluteau)
Shepard Fairey. Djerbahood. A Project of Itinerrance Gallery. Hara Sghira Er Riadh, Tunisia (photo © Lionel-Belluteau)
Shepard Fairey. Djerbahood. A Project of Itinerrance Gallery. Hara Sghira Er Riadh, Tunisia (photo © Lionel-Belluteau)

Click HERE to learn more about Djerbahood.

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Character Witness

Character Witness

Sometimes it is a talisman who is having adventures on the behalf of an artist, a part of him/herself who stays behind and watches the area.

At other times it is a character seen through a mirror, an alter-ego who represents a fictional part of their inner world who has been set free onto the street to interact. It may be a branding element, a logo, or signature that lays claim to the artwork it is attached to. By itself it is often a form of marking territory; a practice begun by graffiti writers decades ago.

Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Whether it is a symbol or a figure, it is undoubtedly a personification of some part of the artists id, one that is so individual that you can spot it from a distance and if you are a fan, you’ll smile in recognition.

Many street artists have a discernable style, that is true; a hand-style, a recurrent motif, color palette, a topic that reappears, a technique of application, even a likely location in the urban landscape where they are most likely to appear.

Of that number, fewer have developed a character or a motif so well defined in our minds that it can stand alone, but we have found a few over the decades. Each is imbued with memory, with place, with personality, with character.

And, as ever, we are witness.

Aiko (photo © Jaime Rojo)
City Kitty (photo © Jaime Rojo)
City Kitty (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dark Clouds (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Dark Clouds (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Katsu (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Katsu (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Kaws (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Little Ricky (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Little Ricky (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Matt Siren (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Matt Siren (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Michael Defeo (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Michael Defeo (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Shepard Fairey (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Shepard Fairey (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Oculo (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Oculo (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Overunder (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Overunder (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Skewville (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Skewville (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Stickman (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Stickman (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Stik (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Stik in collaboration with LA2 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sweet Toof (photo © Jaime Rojo)
Sweet Toof (photo © Jaime Rojo)
UFO 907 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
UFO 907 (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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Shepard Fairey Considers  “Strategies for a Revolution” in Rome

Shepard Fairey Considers “Strategies for a Revolution” in Rome

Starting the year with “Strategies for a Revolution”, Shepard Fairey exhibits in Italy at Wunderkammern.

Contemporary society is so subsumed into the corporate model that street artist/fine artist Shepard Fairey still appears revolutionary in his basic demands for equity, dignity, and justice.

Shepard Fairy. American Rage. “Strategies for a revolution” at Wunderkammern Gallery. Rome, Italy. (photo courtesy of Wunderkammern Gallery)

Thirty plus years have evolved his language of propaganda into a signature amalgam of Russian constructivist, punk rage, the so-called underground, and an evermore refined eye for high-note linework and ornate graphic patterning. Here in Milan, the Wunderhammern similarly have an eye for the finer sensibilities, after curating many primary and secondary street artists in the last 10+ years on community murals and in gallery exhibits; and have been financially successful enough at it to open this new second location in Via Giulia, auspiciously welcoming Fairey into this not-so-brave new Covid-bashed world.

Embracing his visual language and socially political wit, “Strategies” includes a series of unpublished works selected by Shepard, a review of the themes that resonate most now in this context personally and generally. It’s a good time to gaze at the messages, the art of delivery, the tenor of these works – all while assessing this time that feels like a turning. A re-set. A time no doubt that will include revolution. 

Shepard Fairy. Justice Woman. “Strategies for a revolution” at Wunderkammern Gallery. Rome, Italy. (photo courtesy of Wunderkammern Gallery)
Shepard Fairy. Louder than a bomb. “Strategies for a revolution” at Wunderkammern Gallery. Rome, Italy. (photo courtesy of Wunderkammern Gallery)
Shepard Fairy. No future (RED). “Strategies for a revolution” at Wunderkammern Gallery. Rome, Italy. (photo courtesy of Wunderkammern Gallery)
Shepard Fairy. Radical Peace (BLUE). “Strategies for a revolution” at Wunderkammern Gallery. Rome, Italy. (photo courtesy of Wunderkammern Gallery)
Shepard Fairy. Revolution in our time. “Strategies for a revolution” at Wunderkammern Gallery. Rome, Italy. (photo courtesy of Wunderkammern Gallery)
Shepard Fairy. Sonic firestorm. “Strategies for a revolution” at Wunderkammern Gallery. Rome, Italy. (photo courtesy of Wunderkammern Gallery)
Shepard Fairy. Eyes Open. “Strategies for a revolution” at Wunderkammern Gallery. Rome, Italy. (photo courtesy of Wunderkammern Gallery)

Shepard Fairey (OBEY)

 Strategies for a revolution

 Via Giulia 180, Roma

29 January – 22 February 2022

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Shepard Fairey Says “Invent Your Future” in Miami’s Little Haiti

Shepard Fairey Says “Invent Your Future” in Miami’s Little Haiti

Leave it to Shepard Fairey to tell you that he’s not too cool for school. The anti-establishment critic of corruption and hypocrisy throughout our history and our political system still knows that we have to have tools if we want to make a positive change.

It’s a shame that the dropout rate for many schools is high, and that many schools don’t have the resources needed to effectively encourage and train students for the future. But the LA-based street artist knows that by holding up role models and celebrating positive contributions to culture, his murals can have a positive impact on the next gen.

Shepard Fairey. “Invent Your Future”. Little Haiti, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Here next to the track behind Miami Edison Senior High School in the neighborhood of Little Haiti, Fairey says “We all play a role in shaping the future, but high school is an especially important time in developing the tools to mold it.” He’s describing the new mural incorporating his graphic signature motifs, powerful personalities, and palette – including a fresh aqua that calls to mind the tropical connections between this neighborhood and the island from whence it gets its name.

Shepard Fairey. “Invent Your Future”. Little Haiti, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)

Thanks to a program that has worked with the schools in the neighborhood for nearly a decade called The RAW Project, founded by Robert de los Rios and his partner Audrey Sykes, this mural joins many others by local and international street artists near here. Recent names on the roster inside and outside local halls of higher learning include Eric Skotnes, Jazz Guetta, Kai, Kevin Ledo, Sandra Chevalier, Hyland Mather, The Lost Object, Telmo Miel, Marina Capdavila, Mr. June, Niels ‘Shoe’ Meulman, Patrick Kane McGregor, and Wayne Horse.

As ever, Shepard had his sharpest hands on the can with him as his brilliant crew in Miami, including Dan Flores, Nic Bowers, Rob Zagula, and Luka Densmore.

Shepard Fairey. “Invent Your Future”. Little Haiti, Miami. (photo © Jaime Rojo)
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