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Rolland Berry recently collaborated with Shepard Fairey on a collection of one-of-a-kind jackets. These jackets can currently be seen at the OBEY Clothing pop-up shop at 151 Orchard St. in NY until May 16th. If you are interested in purchasing please contact info@deitch.com or call 212.343.7300.
Shepard and Rolland’s paths have crossed many times over the past 12 years and these jackets allude to the mutual respect and understanding each artist has for his counterpart’s work. Featured are 3 coats meticulously designed by Berry, using the imagery of OBEY spliced with classic punk rock iconography.
ROLLAND’S COMMENTARY
I first ran into Shepard 1998 when I use to put up snipes (posters), As (COLUR), and in the beginning I could not figure out how this guy (OBEY),always had all the good spots, night after night… and no matter how late I stayed out or how hard I hit it this dude always had been there and done that…
Needless to say, I took another path and focused on making “wearable art” or as close and I could get to art in the fashion world with out being a cliché. Now over 12 years later its come full circle, this opportunity to work with Shepard was amazing, while it was challenging for me as an artist, I believe we pushed the envelope of art and fashion. I found it by far my favorite collaboration that I have ever done. I think what we achieved is the definition of wearable art. PERIOD.
Each of these jackets took about 35 to 40 man-hours to create, all done buy hand. Each jacket was looked at as a 3 dimensional painting. Each has its own unique pallet, hand studding, hand distressing, and hand pulled silk screens. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Thanks for the opportunity and challenge Shepard.
SHEPARD’S COMMENTARY
I recently collaborated with Rolland Berry on some amazing art jackets now on display at the Obey pop up store in NYC. I love Rolland’s punk art/fashion sensibility. It reminds me that I first became interested in stencil making and screen printing in the 80’s not as art techniques, but as ways to make home-made punk tee shirts. I still feel very strongly that tee shirts are a populist canvas for great art. Collaborating with Rolland on art jackets was a perfect bridge between the art and fashion that have shaped my life and that many people mistakenly put into disparate categories. My May Day art show, street murals, and the NYC Obey clothing pop up are all extensions of the same art project and philosophy.
I first met Rolland about 11 years ago when he was putting posters of his art up on the streets. One time I found a fresh spot he had pasted and near by an abandoned brush and bucket of glue. I was worried Rolland had been busted or at least forced to flee the scene in a hurry. After I got his number from a friend and called him to see if things were OK he told me “no I didn’t get busted, I was just done pasting for the day and didn’t feel like carrying the glue home.” This story’s suggestion of apathy or lack of follow through on Rolland’s part turns out to be the polar opposite of how he does things. Though he is a punk rocker, Rolland’s meticulous craftsmanship and attention to detail conjure the oxymoron “punk rock master craftsman”. The hand studded details and screen printed and sewn patches are amazing. Check out these jackets in person if you can and maybe get a chuckle out of the irony of framed punk jackets and how gatekeepers of culture may define something as high or low culture figuratively or literally by how it is framed. Just like Duchamp would probably love if someone went into a museum and pissed in his urinal, these jackets are suitable as framed art but may be even better in a mosh pit.
-Shepard
