FIRST MUSEUM SURVEY OF INFLUENTIAL STREET ARTIST SHEPARD FAIREY OPENS AT THE INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART/BOSTON

SHEPARD FAIREY: SUPPLY & DEMAND
FEB. 6 - AUG. 16, 2009

Boston, MA – On the 20th anniversary of the Obey Giant campaign, the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston opens the first museum survey of Shepard Fairey, the influential street artist who created the now iconic Obama poster. Stickers and posters of the artist’s work have appeared on street signs and buildings around the world as part of a guerrilla art campaign of global scale. Featuring over 80 works, Shepard Fairey: Supply & Demand traces the artist’s career over 20 years, from the Obey Giant stencil to screen prints of political revolutionaries and rock stars to recent mixed-media works and a new mural commissioned for the ICA show. In complement to the exhibition, Fairey will be creating public art works at sites around Boston. On view at the ICA from Feb. 6 to Aug. 16, 2009, Shepard Fairey: Supply & Demand is accompanied by an expanded, limited-edition version of Supply & Demand, the retrospective publication of the artist’s work.  FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT THE ICA WEBSITE.

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Art plays a pivotal role in creating cultural momentum. The MANIFEST HOPE: DC Gallery celebrates that role and shines a spotlight on artists who use their voices to amplify and motivate the grassroots movement that carried President-Elect Barack Obama to victory.

MANIFEST HOPE: DC gathers together a diverse array of the nation’s most talented visual artists under one roof to mark this monumental achievement in our nation’s history and encourages artists and activists to maintain the momentum to bring about true change in the United States.

Along with its partners, MoveOn.org Political Action, the Service Employees International Union and Obey Giant, MANIFEST HOPE: DC, will issue an inspiring visual call-to-action, encouraging a redirection of public energy toward true reform in three key areas:  Health Care Reform, Workers’ Rights, The Green Economy

READ MORE AT Manifesthope.com

CONTEST

MANIFEST HOPE: DC invites you to show your art in Washington, D.C. during the Presidential Inauguration Celebration alongside some of the most celebrated artists today.

SUBMIT YOUR ARTWORK HERE

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A couple of months ago Shepard was approached by Penguin Books (UK) to do his take on the cover art for the literary classics, “1984″ and “Animal Farm.”  Being that both books were inspirational and favorites of Shep, this was a no brainer.  When the books, with the covers, were released Penguin Books did a promotion selling the books with a cover art print set.  These prints were only available in the UK… UNTIL NOW!  We only have the print set available in a very limited quantity.  The print set will be released on 12/31 between noon and 3pm PST.  They are offset prints, and are A2 in size (about 17″ x 24″), Edition of 200, signed/numbered.  Print set will be $140.  Limited 1 set per person/household.

PURCHASE YOUR PRINT HERE ON 12/31

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To: shepard
Subject: Your comments on Rick Warren

Hello Shepard,
I’m a writer in Portland, Oregon, and a huge fan of your work (three of your pieces hang above my desk as I type). But I felt compelled to respond to your comments about Obama and Rick Warren. 1. Doesn’t Obama oppose gay marriage as well? (I don’t but I still voted for him) 2. Wasn’t that one of Bush’s moral failings: He wasn’t open minded enough to at least listen to people who disagreed with him. How do you expect to win the hearts and minds of conservatives, to cross the divide, to fulfill the promise of unity? Shutting them out like Bush shut out liberals? I understand why Obama did it. In some ways it troubles me. But the spirit of the act comforts me. This is change. This is Progress. Inviting Rick Warren to share in what is a celebration that is American, not liberal or conservative, is Hope.
Best to you and your family,
J. Doe

My response after the jump

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From Everyone at OBEY we wish you a Happy Holidays!

HOLIDAY NOTICE! The OBEY GIANT offices will be closed from December 22nd until December 29th for the Holidays and orders placed on the 19th through the 28th we will not be shipped until the week of the 29th. There will be no expedited shipping.  Thank you for your support.

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Tomorrow my illustration for Time Magazine’s  “Person of The Year” hits the newsstands. While I’m very honored to be validated by a periodical that is nothing short of an American institution, the moment is bittersweet because I’m very disappointed by Obama’s appointment of Rick Warren to deliver his invocation during Obama’s inaugural address. Rick Warren is against gay marriage and reproductive rights, and he does not believe in evolution (maybe he offers himself as proof of lack of evolution). I understand that Obama is trying to appeal to conservatives and evangelicals, but this move is symbolically a slap in the face to many people. Warren is not a uniter, but a divider… he is intolerant in many of his views. I still think Obama is the best choice for president, but I can’t condone Warren’s involvement in Obama’s inauguration, no matter how insignificant it is. While I’m on the subject of gay marriage, I will be donating a chunk of the proceeds from an inauguration poster of Obama I was asked to create to the movement to overturn Prop 8.  At first I was considering pulling my inauguration poster, but I think re-directing funds from it to put into a cause I care about is actually more constructive. Plus, I wouldn’t want withdrawing the image to come across as a blanket boycott of Obama.  I’m sure I will ultimately disagree with Obama about many things, but I think I will agree with him on more. I think it is important to speak one’s mind, but also to not let the narcissism of petty differences sabotage our unity and progress.

-Shepard

Also check out TIME’s Icon Maker of the Year.  Here is a little video.

SEE VIDEO HERE

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