Shepard Fairey, Creator of Iconic Obama Image, Speaks About His Art

[Punana1992]

i know people like his shirts and shit but no one really understand him like i do i idle this guy so much he is my inspiration of what i want to do for the rest of my life

[Customizationz]

I support you, Fairey and street art!

[Thiscrapsannoying]

Power to the Posse!

[xpez]

jesus christ how many times do we have to here the same "SCHPEAL" from this guy over and over and over... for over ten years... I make posters, I trace photos and make silkscreens, I make one icon I paste up over and over again same image.... I like it... buy one...

[objectsovart]

loved that u taged me way back don shearer

[objectsovart]

don shearer love saves the day on youtube

[lizOkay]

Well the grafitti where i live is def noot art

[sukuxjtu]

genius

[armycadet33]

NOW BIN LADAN IS DEAD we dont have to worry about iraq cuz we can just go bomb the mean people

[vandelkyra]

@armycadet33 Out of Topic Fail!

[armycadet33]

@vandelkyra LOL

[isaiahplayer926]

love

[hippiest1]

check the new wall painting ARABIC VEGAS by 1905 on my profile

[facefacts911]

Shepard Fairey has become that which he once despised. I love the man's art, design sense, and technique, but he is no longer street. Threatening to sue Baxter Orr was the last straw for me. Maybe the estate of Andre Roussimoff should have sued you a long time ago preventing you from becoming a millionaire.

[PrizePirate]

Yeah, when I saw this Obama image I laughed, but this was before the election and I'm quite the republican. He's a good artist, but I don't see hope in Obama.

Also yeah I've read about him stealing the photograph from someone's work, making it into a stencil and then just spray painting over it. It's quite the debate nowadays, but the photographer deserves credit for his work.

[fede018]

i used to respect this guy until i read an article where he is expossed for stealing others people art.

here's the article: art-for-a-change. com/Obey/index.htm#m

[bgordon20]

genius

[crackfarm76]

or what about "hype"?

[crackfarm76]

yeah, i really like his work and i think he's cool, but that obama image he did has become a joke..."hope"...more like "nope."

[riotforthepunx]

Check out this dude if you like shepard's work!

skippyballen.blogspot.com

He also does wheatpasting.

[Andersmj87]

funny that there are showing a pice by spaceinvader in the movie =D

By the way, Shepard Fairey are an awesome artist! i use a lot of my daytime exerting in photoshop, an on the street... i love the rush...

you are a great model for me Shepard... 

[melonheadk31]

Andre Andre Andre

[Finnpr1]

Everyone has their own interpretation of art. lets keep it that way

[lawrencev]

he's just a fame-hungry plagiarist

[skabio1]

Haters make will give him more notoriety. Regardless, those fuckers will still be wearing his t-shirts obliviously.

[kpportillo]

does he screen print the rest of his stuff

[Ritsj]

if this man ain't a artist in your eyes, he's still a briliant graphical designer. to say the least

[ryankhosla]

does anyone know how he makes his stencils?

[Obelisk3rdEye]

Shepard Fairey's false rebellion. Wait here he is talking about HOPE and OBAMA? woww this guy is conformist piece of shit. Orenjiotoku tells it how it is.

[snotechh]

@Obelisk3rdEye everyone "hoped" for better shit with obama. we didnt get it, i agree there, but shepard fairey has pushed the limits of street art and "illegal" graffiti for more than a decade. if you dont know about street art and graffiti, dont break your lips on shepard fairey homeboy, you just made yourself sound ignorant. shepard fairey a conformist? lol this is prob the first time you ever heard of him

[supershooloo]

i have alot of obey murals around my town

[DJbacktrack]

street art is what really has hope.

[rezen1983]

umm forget about obama this is about shepard ferry thanks my dude for giving us other street aritst hope

[nxtmn13]

..name of the song please?

[orenjiotoku]

This dude is a total tool. Creating propaganda for politicos and their agendas. To influence the mindless masses.

[dapzillaaa]

ur mums a total tool

[orenjiotoku]

Let me guess, you are one of the mindless masses. Voted for Obama because of the pretty pictures, Weeeeeeeeee.

[dapzillaaa]

hahah nahh plus its only art, try to chill a lil

[orenjiotoku]

Yeah, so is the Nazi symbol.

The "N" word is only a word. I take things seriously, that are serious. And I'm laid back about lighthearted things. This "artist" has an agenda, that I take very seriously. And so should you.

[dapzillaaa]

yeah but i dnt take things like that that seriously.

i slightly do with major things, this can be one depending which way u look at it. i for now jst look at it as plain art where it doesnt hav much of an effect on me.

[orenjiotoku]

You don't take it seriously, because you don't have to have this bozo as President of your country. I take it seriously, because Obama and his elite crew of politicos take it seriously. What do you think helped him win the election? Empty slogans and propaganda posters for the mindless masses.

[dapzillaaa]

who did u vote for?

[orenjiotoku]

I don't vote according to political parties, but for the individual. For the majority of the time, my beliefs and standards are mostly represented by people in the Republican party. Although, these days it is slipping. I did research on Obama (as I considered him during election) and found him to be a socialist/ with marxist leanings. An elitist. He lied about his political stances, even his religious beliefs. All to get elected. Whatever it took. With the U.S. media in his pocket.

[orenjiotoku]

Oh, I'm sorry. You're from the U.K. How long do you think it will be until the absolves into the E.U.? And big brother tells you what is exceptable and what is not.

[omgcamlolz]

your dads a tool

[orenjiotoku]

omgcamlolz, sorry honey this conversation is for adults. Go back to playing your xb360 like a good little sheep, I mean lamb.

[omgcamlolz]

lolllzz i dont own a game console. sorry babes. but i would like to throw in that shepard created the obama poster for himself. on his own because hes an obama supporter. it just gained popularity from there. he wasnt asked to do it. so i dont see how he is a tool.

[orenjiotoku]

As an artist myself, and an informed person (no sarcasm or jab intended) I know that Shepard is also spear heading an OBAMA campaign for "social(ist) change". You really think that Obama's PR people have NO connection with Shepard and his current pieces? Obama has his own "media" team for crying out loud. He wasn't elected by accident. He's a manufactured politician. Don't be so naive. Look into it.

[productetc]

Haha, you're a tool. As someone who worked at Studio One, Shepard's design studio, I find your theory pretty funny! Thanks for the laugh, chap!

[rezen1983]

@orenjiotoku true indeed well said my brother

[zoodyy93]

omg i love this guy!!! i went to his art gallery in masseschusets, it was amazing

[NativeHollywood]

He's the new Joseph Goebbels: Art is now enslaved to a dictator-in-the-making and ALL artists must be now approved by the Democratic Party state proganda ministry. Obey Obama, obey . .. .

[CircaMay85]

OBEY!!! motherfuckers.....

[nxtmn13]

...HEEEY SOMEONE KNOWS THE NAME OF SONG PLEASE??? thx...

[jedman608]

Dude, you're the fucking man. keep doing what you're doing.

[vyceapparel]

shepard steals photos haha google it

[annexdp]

'good artists barrow, great artists steal' - pablo picaso lol

[Grock1975]

Leave this fucking guy alone yeah maybe he sounds like a whiny bitch sometimes and maybe he might be a hypocrite but the motherfucker knows how to get the message across so weather you like it or not he still got inside your head......so fuck off and get on with your puny little lives!!

[AntiDiatonic]

He Opposes The War In Iraq? Barack Obama Is Furthering The Middle Eastern War In Afghanistan & Pakistan. So Creating That "Hope" Obama Piece Contradicts Himself.

[0n3b1o0d]

he made it before any one knew what obama was really up to. him being an artist im sure hes super bummed as i would be (being an artist myself).

[MrJumanji32]

shepard fairey is kinda a 'ghey gimmick'

the 'ed hardy of sreet art'

[Rocknotron]

fairey in some way " sold out " with the hope image. shepard faireys awesome though

[AntiDiatonic]

If You Didn't Want Your Work To Be "Elitist" Then You Shouldn't Of Did That "Hope" Piece.

[KMFDM420]

No one should ever involve politics with art, unless it has absolutely nothing to with the new, or future president.

[Tony007corp]

You can buy a real piece of his art for like 50 bucks signed and numbered thats what he mean. anyways how does doing the obama piece make him elitist?

[sketchyfolk]

wait until everyone realizes the obama is a puppet.

[fukkkk054321]

hhaha i thought i was the only one who thought this.

[TheWestWord]

great art but he is a socialist dupe...class envious little pissant

[xtianzissou]

1) I love street art.

2) Shepherd Fairey is a slave.

[destroya15463]

Fairy seems to like cock.

[Obam0Land]

He's a DOPE

[pinkeyegasms]

just like he said ... HES AN ARTIST ... and not all graphiti is illegal ... some people can get permission from different cities ... or ... become a better ninja

[geek183]

how does he admit to illegal activity and still not be prosicuted? he says he has been arested 14 times i think it was? and he also says he will continue doing illegal activity.can he not be pinned for saying things like that??

[Woofwoof350]

Hes Just Saying

[TheWestWord]

this aint minority report......yet

[wealljammin]

@geek183 same reason musical artists cant get pinned for talking about drugs or other stuff. its not considered a confession.

[maplespak]

Who's the jackass who got rid of the embedding? Kind of ironic, that Shepard Fairey is the "citizen's artist" and citizens can't embed this video!

thumbs down boooooooooooooo

[YoungAristotle]

"I've been doing street art for almost 20 years now and I've been arrested 14 times. But I'm never going to stop because its such an important component of what I do"

yo this dude is baller!!!

[YoungAristotle]

"I've been doing street art for almost 20 years now and I've been arrested 14 times. But I'm never going to stop because it's such an important component of what I do"

hahaha this dude is gangsta!!!

[Diomondback95]

my most favorite artist OBEY

[victorb1108]

OBEY is his clothing line his name is shepard fairey

[quiksilva86]

does he cut out the stencil by hand using an exacto?

[sk8er3078]

does anybody know what type of spray paint he uses

[housicker]

who cares! buy the cheapest!

[obeyme7]

he might be getting locked up for a long time he got caught up in sum shit with his graff but a hero in fact and i buy hes cloths all the fucking time best shit out there but hes shit in some fucking gay stores like buckle man i have to go in that fuckin lame ass store to buy hes stuff hahaha

[punkrocker26960]

i love shepards work the visual effect is amazing he is the best at that and also the meaning of the grafitti work he does to keep going shepard!

[bangwithcannon]

Hate hate hate...

You people need hobbies and vision.

He invokes thought and conversation.

Try doing new something instead of talking

shit and sitting in the internet.

[Diomondback95]

Eduwardos Gay i love OBEY Giant

[downpeta]

why doesn't he produce "art" from decent subjects?

[gwendrael]

what by your definition should be a "decent" subject ?

[angrydog1295]

Typical nonsense....went to his show today. Gift shop had hoodies selling for $100....I can't tell you how many people laugh at this guy, even the ones at his show at the ICA.

Typical hypocrite. OBEY....well he sure did when it came to obama.

Typical hypocrite. Protests about money in his "art" and capitalism. $35 for a t-shirt, made in sweatshops???

Posters made in NON-union shops selling for $30.

This guy is an asshole.

[wealljammin]

@angrydog1295 im guessing youre referring to his "e pluribus venom" work when talking about capitalism. if youll notice, that dollar bill design is half of that piece. the other half is a bond design with positive aspects about capitalism. the piece is called "The two sides of capitalism". hes not against capitalism, he just wants to show both sides of the story. get informed good sir.

[mfhayes]

Appropriation plays a huge role in the art world.

[polkabunnydanceisfab]

Shepard Fairey is so creative!! There is actually an article of him in April 16ths issue of Rolling Stone. =]

[JuelzWinkler]

yes he is one of my top

[verklimpt]

yes, hes an artist, even artists rip off other artists, its been done before and will again. Its just people getting their panties in a bunch thinking hes so original, not!

[sherioushlyduckys8it]

^ this is why i love his art

inspirational

[allstarrr0512]

what are you talking about.

shepard is legendary

[00jonnjonn]

Pathetic.

Andy Warhol should Calls copyrights!

There 'a big difference between inspiration and copying.... Stupid communication for stupid people

[angrydog1295]

00, you go,

Did he pay for Andre the Giants image????

This guy is a joke....just like the people he adores.

The Misfits are a bunch of racists...yet he sites them as an influence...

Bobby Seal.....didn't he start mini-wars in the USA?

I am provoked...I am enraged..

I will be sending this guy a montage of Rev.Wright, Rezko, the tax evaders, Louis Farrikhan and all the other obama loves. Wait until BOGdonovich comes clean....by bye O

[darkstarwood]

THE MISFITS ARE NOT RACIST YOU RETARD

[angrydog1295]

Dark,

Louis F. isn't racist either. no, no no, not god bless america, god DAMN america. .........obama's church of 30 years. you go nogger

[rosenpwn0rt]

There are tags of Andre the giant all over bobston, where he lives. I pass by like two every time I go to Boston.

[dubberdubs]

Some people who think he's a douchebag would rather have the attention themselves. Maybe this guy can't paint a painting but he IS an artist in his own right. He's been doing this shit for a long time. Anytime someone gets attention there will always be haters. To the haters: Shut up and do some art and get it out.

[KASABERHAGEN]

You are 100% correct.....and none could have said it better!

Haters never get anywhere in life anyhow.....thats why they hate.

[sonofdasea]

@dubberdubs and i guarantee he can paint. he went to risd for illustration

[metalsmith03]

this guy is such a self righteous douche bag

[hmhahm]

i hate how people are biting off of shepards obama posters

[obsceneidol]

you do understand that those posters are not original ideas and or concepts...they are done in the same fashiion as communist soviet propaganda posters pre-WWII using "patriotic" colors. His hope postors in my opinion have been his worst most unoriginal works and it amzazes me that thats what hes received the most praise for.

good artist none the less.

[vexedartt]

nice

[wizzlewozzle]

What a great guy to prop up.. are personal property rights and personal freedoms going to stop him from getting his "brand" out? Heck no.. some messages need to be imposed to promote.. um.. freedom.. wait, is that right?

[lukam8]

legend

[konman001]

eeeh - this guy is just another liberal trying to be controversial by being "illegal" and tagging public place. Nowadays controversy sells in the news and gets you exposure on TV - he really isn`t doing anything that others haven`t done before him.

I saw another video clip where he talks about going against "the establishment" (or rebelling) - but what he is doing is a quite well established liberal propaganda strategy. He will be laughing all the way to the bank IF and when he gets rich.

[favordoer78]

dude! why is he a liberal?! maybe hes a guy who likes art!? and thought since Obama IS! makeing history! he just takeing the chance to portray history through his art and. you dont l;ike it!? dont look at it!

[COLDBEARD]

Holy fuck, you have no idea what you are talking about. No idea at all.

[N8dean]

IF he gets rich? It does not seem like he intended to, but a thinking a person living today is able to deduce that he is already successful and doing quite well.

[konman001]

They all say it is not about money but about certain ideals or views - but it is only an image.

In music industry (for example) Eminem was putting up an image of someone with rough childhoold, difficult life, etc. Young people bought into the image and subject matter he was portraying.

Eminem, though, got a big mansion and lived a lavish lifestyle due to the money he made from music - yet he continued to write music with themese relating to unfairness of life.

[bhappyboutique]

i love this guy! he is awesome

[BeatBuddy]

The law should leave Fairey alone. He's aestheticising the ugliest parts of our cities.

[Darogris]

Since Mr. Fairey is a "street artist" or "tagger" or whatever, I am sure he would not mind if other "artists" "tagged" his Obama murals.

A little black mustache right over the lip would be cute, or how about changing the H to a D, or the O to a Y? It's all in the name of "art" after all.

Lucky for him, most conservatives are too law abiding to vandalize.

[AwesomeDrifterDrick]

way to copy and paste almost in every video.

[SantaBarbaraDianne]

he said on a talk show the Obey sticker is intended to look like Obama now he is saying it's Andre The Giant---I don't see the resemblance.Anyway, if it is supposed to be Obama then this Obey stuff is scary--dictator scary!!

[snowboarder18]

The Andre the giant stick and stencil is what made him famous. I have never heard him once confuse obama for andre the giant. i guess his art work can seem scary when you dont understand it. and fuck all this shit about "don't write on buildings" "You're a criminal if you do" fuck that, the buildings and walls work perfectly fine even with some paint or a sticker on it. people are too focused on images now a days.

[SantaBarbaraDianne]

no matter how famous he is, he is a hoodlum.

It is never right to deface someone's property---even if you were Van Gogh painting on random buildings. If they want your art, they can hire you to do it---don't just assume it's okay.

[unnamednewbie13]

Don't spray shit on other peoples' property without their permission.

[snowboarder18]

what about politicians who put up a shitload stickers all over generators and light posts during elections? I guess that's ok because they're highly respected criminals.

[iliongraffiti]

ANDRE THE GIANT-->OBEY!!!

[CristobalDeLicia]

Baxter Orr made a parody of Fairey's Andre the Giant design, adorning it with a SARS mask and the title "Protect Yourself." Last April, Fairey mobilized his legal team to send Orr a cease and desist order threatening legal action against him.

[unnamednewbie13]

Yeah, welcome to the 'art world.'

[colonelslog]

dumb fuck just got arrested here.... on his way to an elitist gallery where he was scheduled to be "honored" by a room full of equally dumb fucks... two separate warrants issued. I hope you get ass raped Shepard. BANKSY & BLU OWN.

[blaw9000]

Geez, why so much passion?

How come you couldn't you get this fired up re: stopping George Bush get into power... or some other more serious topic??

I guess its easier to cuss from the safety of your comfy computer seat than to actually GET INVOLVED in something.

You lame fuck.

[colonelslog]

meow

[janeyrotton]

You are the most closed-minded, bigoted, obstinate group of users i have ever beheld.

[janeyrotton]

agreed

[bhoogren]

Fairey is a criminal vandal unworthy of any respect.

Respect is for quality people, not criminals like Fairey.

[kannibees]

lol fag

[blondekaylee22]

Is it just me or does that painting look like a typical Communist artwork from the Soviet era?

[Blawrence9000]

"saying graffiti is an eye soar, but advertising is okay if its paid for, seems ridiculous to me"

"i want my art to provoke people"

Evilinz Isn't this a good thing? I'd rather see images like this in public than live in a sterile environment controlled by who can afford adverts.

Shep fairy spoke out against the war and your douchebag ex-president. I suppose you think that's a bad thing too.

Go back to watching adverts for FoxNews. I'll continue to enjoy Shep F, Banksy, Blu, JR and co

[Chupathingy12345]

Shepard Fairey is a piece of fucking shit.

[evilsinz]

Shepard Fairey

"I like the adrenaline"

"I like the challenge of doing something I'm not supposed to be doing and getting away with it"

"saying graffiti is an eye soar, but advertising is okay if its paid for, seems ridiculous to me"

"i want my art to provoke people"

20 years, 15 arrests, "i will never stop".

Our "correctional system" is more fucked than him.

"character approved" award for disrespect!? Does he support me painting bricks all over his shit? Criminals have a superhero, great.

[bejaki7]

You are talented, but I don't respect that you vandalize other peoples property. Not cool at all.

[mlucky1]

Personally, I think you are very talented and I love the art that I have seen in this video clip. Of course, I don't agree with tagging landmarks or dwellings... perhaps you can get permission to do your thing where acceptable or needed?

People do appreciate good art!

[darksk8er91]

yea..cuz graffiti is the worst thing people are doing these days...

[Osito5505]

ObamasBabyMama... I will try to say this in the nicest possible way....

fuck you damn cunt... it is like someone would smash your head for thinking like a retard... maybe is not a bad IDEA! what a fucking stupid piece of crap you are...

I tried! ;) go back to your republican comittee

[krh11301]

"Fairey" Is right. This dude aint no graffer, " the first thing i tagged up was a sticker in 1989 " Gtfoh .

[kannibees]

dude - OBEY IS LEGEND. do your homework

[colonelslog]

OBEY IS PRODUCT... do your homework

[kannibees]

so the fuck what.. u think he doesnt do shit on the street???? your retarded. is banksy product too?? O.o

[Blawrence9000]

Evilinz, if you don't know Shepard Fairey's opinion is, you must either have not seen his art or be really, really stupid...

Sometimes you don't need prose, or conceptual nonsense to get a message across.

And so what if he's defacing property?!  I'd rather look at something thought-provoking than another Coke ad any day.

[mlucky1]

I couldn't have said it any better myself.. Well said

[nhprman]

This is nothing but a serial criminal. Arrested 14 times. .. no wait, now 15 times. Pathetic liberal icon. Get another one.

[trampledbyphish]

this is Post-modernism

[iThePlanTV]

i bet u like that perv fuck

[coreya777]

obama gonna pay my mortgage, and my gass

[flinchgurl]

the Associated Press says they want compensation for the obama hope picture i wouldnt give them shit he found that using google i thought you could use pictures released into the public. they want money and credit i would not give them neither.

[CRAZYDIRTHEAD]

Anyone who supports Obama is an idiot.

[torus2]

Congratulations, you sound like an ignoramus.

[AwesomeDrifterDrick]

anyone with an opinion without reason is an idiot

[evilsinz]

That's your opinion, whats your reason?

[AwesomeDrifterDrick]

My reason is how you gonna state something without backing it up? You can't just state shit and not explain anything else.