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I’ve been a Bob Dylan fan most of my adult life, but I’m far from being obsessive. Dylan has a huge catalog, but a good bit of it is not in the sweet spot of my taste. However, the good stuff is REALLY good and much of it is incredibly important to the evolution of modern music. I made a portrait of Dylan in 2010, and I thought that maybe that’d be enough. I sometimes forget how significant Dylan is, but watching the biopic “A Complete Unknown” was a re-invigorating jolt not only for my admiration of Dylan, but my belief that art can shape ideas and influence culture. Dylan’s protest, or at least social commentary songs, are astoundingly powerful. Dylan is incredible with words and serves as the people’s poet in his best work. The examples are many, but some of my favorite Dylan songs are The Times They Are A-Changin’, Masters of War, Hurricane, Subterranean Homesick Blues, With God on Our Side, and this print’s namesake… A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall. Check out just some of the Hard Rain’s lyrics:
Oh, what did you see, my darling young one?
I saw a newborn baby with wild wolves all around it
I saw a highway of diamonds with nobody on it
I saw a black branch with blood that kept drippin’
I saw a room full of men with their hammers a-bleedin’
I saw a white ladder all covered with water
I saw ten thousand talkers whose tongues were all broken
I saw guns and sharp swords in the hands of young children
And it’s a hard, and it’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard
And it’s a hard rain’s a-gonna fall
The lyrics, like all poetry have latitude for interpretation, but if they don’t make you feel something for the state of our world, then I question your humanity. The best art is timely AND timeless which is hard to pull off, but is emblematic of Dylan’s best work.
This image is based on a photo by Daniel Kramer, who shot Dylan regularly during his rapid mid-60s ascent to stardom and audience projection of Dylan as the voice of a generation… a label Dylan was quick to resist. Dylan rose to the moment but abhorred public expectations and pressures. I think this image captures both his self-possession and reticence.
-Shepard
PRINT DETAILS: A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall. 18 x 24 inches. Screen print on 80# cream Speckletone paper. Original Illustration based on a photograph by Daniel Kramer / AUGUST Image, LLC. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Numbered edition of 500. Comes with a Digital Certificate of Authenticity provided by Verisart. $70. Available on Thursday, February 27th @ 10 AM PDT at Obey Giant Store. Max order: 1 per customer/household. International customers are responsible for import fees due upon delivery (Except UK orders under $160). ALL SALES FINAL.
