Funny scene happening here. A classic and iconic paster from Obey featuring Andre the Giant gets pastered up in Los Angeles.
Then, up close on the face, someone came and tagged things like 'Steezy!' and 'Diamond Supply Co.!'.
Its funny because even though it isn't meant as an insult, it is. In fact, its probably meant as a compliment. However, comparing Obey street art to Diamond Supply Co. shows how Obey is viewed as a corporate brand by the masses, not as street art.
Shepard Fairey has dismissed the accusations of selling out. But the fact remains that more people know Obey as a clothing line than a street art effort. Furthermore, most people in general society recognize Shepard Fairey as the artist who designed the Obama Hope poster, not as the artist behind Obey.
The street art community might still recognize Shepard and Obey as a street art entity, but if most people don't, when does street art from Obey become street advertising like Diamond Supply Co.?
Or has it already?
Anyone who think Shepard Fairey is a street artist is dead wrong. He's an advertiser disguised as a street artist. Everything he does is to directly effect sales of his merch.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how success can breed so much contempt. !988 and 25 years later.....
ReplyDeleteI think it started out as he states it, and then it grew beyond him. He capitalized on it with merchandise and made more art. He has put up a ton of stuff, but not recently. My view is that Shepard Fairey has been a street artist. Now he is the owner of a successful brand that still gets some good stuff up and gives away tons of stickers and posters.
ReplyDelete"My view is that Shepard Fairey has been a street artist"-Anonymous
DeleteThat sounds exactly right.
He was a street artist and now he gets to be Shepard Fairey, his own self. The question might be posed if one has sold out by virtue of celebrity or perhaps not making goods from your own local labor force, or do you make trash? Not because a bunch of people spend there hard earned money on aforementioned trash..
In addition what is street art or a street artist anyway? I go out and slap art up in the streets. I don't even consider myself an artist but I'd be caught dead defining myself as one or anything for that matter. No one should create just to get accepted.
If there were no experts, there would be no frauds...
~Beholder
Quit pretending fools. You know your wearing that 80 dollar obey vest typing this on your phone with an obey phone cover. Jokers.
ReplyDelete