Barack Obama endorses graffitti, claims Shepard Fairey
Sunday’s Washington Post profiles Echo Park artist Shephard Fairey regarding his iconic Barack Obama posters which have sold 80,000 copies so far, artist signed prints fetching $5,900 on eBay, and have been applauded by the Presidential front runner himself:
Fairey rummages around on his desk and produces a letter from Obama himself. “Dear Shepard,” the candidate writes. “I would like to thank you for using your talent in support of my campaign. The political messages involved in your work have encouraged Americans to believe they can help change the status quo. Your images have a profound effect on people, whether seen in a gallery or on a stop sign.”
Messages. Images. Effect. Someone understands phenomenology. And the thing about stop signs? “He’s kind of endorsing graffiti,” Fairey says, “isn’t he?”
While new runs of the poster repeatedly sell out, Fairey has made downloadable copy available online, for free. His next Obama project will be”ten thousand bicycle spoke cards.”
Interesting article, although it fails to ask Fairey what he thinks of the spoof “Snobama” posters inspired by his work.
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Thanks for this post and link to the article. Of all the movies I’ve worked on, there is only one one-sheet I keep as art in my house and now I know who the artist is. I think it’s gorgeous: Walk the Line
I’m not to hot on these posters…they kind of freak me out. But they’re postitively awesome compared to the new Hillary Clinton posters. That photo creeps me out.
I thought this one was pretty clever too.
I like the pope version of the poster the best:
the obama spoke cards are found here:
oops:
http://www.obamaspoke.com
error.
…he has given away 80,000 posters. for free… not sold… he has sold under 1000.