Apparently, it makes Barack Obama look like a totalitarian leader to people over the age of 35 or so, since they are not familiar Shepard Fairey's Obey posters, what this is obviously a total homage to. It's more than an homage - you can buy a print at the Obey Giant site or Obama's site. It's art they sanction. I'd seen it around, admired it but didn't know the story. We've shown it at Silenced Majority Portal, from an image at Cafe Press.
Here is what Shepard himself said at his Obey Giant Worldwide Propaganda Delivery site:
Sales of the Obama T-shirts through Upper Playground funded these bus shelter ads in Philly. You might be saying… “supporting a political candidate, paying for ads, what is Obey thinking?” Well, we’re thinking that helping to put Obama in office is one of the most subversive things we could be doing. To see for yourself, check out his policies at BarackObama.com
Make Art Not War - read more about this artist - the history, the progation method, the madness. Fairey started as a skater and graffiti artist and finished Rhode Island School of Design. I just read a very nice thesis from St. Mary's in London about art and propaganda with alot of Fairey. He is from the tradition that goes back to "Kilroy was Here" in WW2.
more
Fairey is one of today's best known street artists. The "Obey Giant" campaign has grown via an international network of collaborators. His manifesto links the art with Heidegger's phenomenology. The "Obey" campaign draws from the movie "They Live" (which starred a pro-wrestler) from which come slogans, as from McLuhan's work, such as "The Medium is the Message." Fairey has specialized in silkscreens and there is an Obey clothing line. He also has a film degree and has done documentaries, album cover art (as for the Black Eyed Peas and Smashing Pumpkins, and Led Zeppelin.) He has joined with other artists to create antiwar-antiBush posters and has collaborated with DJ Shadow, Mission of Burma, Interpol AND founded Swindle magazine as well as written a book, "Supply and Demand." He also DJs as DJ Diabetic and Emcee Insulin. His political art sets a high standard. He has also designed an electric guitar with a Big Brother logo and did the loading screen for Guitar Hero. I am just scratching the surface. Slugbug
3 comments:
I just bought a limited edition print of the poster that's on the bus stop above -it's a donation.
It does look retro Soviet style.
I like his boldness.
Kinda TOO Soviet for me, but I may just buy one cause I like bold.
I definately like him better than Banksy, even if it does make me conjure up images of commie pinko hippis lurking around in the night.
Haha!
Yup, now I want one too.
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