what gets me is that they knew he was in town for days and yet they chose to pick him up right before he was scheduled to appear at the party. some people are saying publicity stunt... I'm not so sure.
Maybe I'm making too much of this story, but several things jump out at me:
1. Fairey has been accused of ripping off the work of an African American artist to create the "Hope" piece.
2. Fairey appears to be the typical, anti-capitalist street artist, rebelling against the "norm", but is selling his poster all over the web for big bucks.
3. The "Hope" poster borrows from old-school socialist propoganda posters.
This means:
A white guy stole from an African American to create a piece of socialist art aimed at getting an African American elected to office, all the while raking in money from the "art" evolving into an internationally recognizable piece of "pop art".
I'm sorry, I still just don't get how you can be the suburban son of a doctor with a degree from RISD and be a "street artist" or "countercultural". Sure, his stuff might be interesting and it might be mildly subversive, but I think we give these mainstream counterculturalists far too much credit for the little they do.
I especially liked this caption on wikipedia: "OBEY Giant clothing sold at an upscale Nordstrom department store". Why can't "street artists" just accept that theirs is an aesthetic style like anything else without all the attitude and self-righteousness?
ok - this thing has officially reached stupid - the warrant is for not appearing in court over a fine of $200 from some incident back in 2000.
This is a complete waste of BPD resources and our tax money. kids are getting shot in dorchester and you're going after this guy for one incident of graffiti 9 years ago? trumping it up with more charges to justify making the arrest and causing a big scene? what the hell...
of course Fairey's going to play it up because the whole thing is completely ridiculous and it's free publicity for his show... not only is it painting the BPD as a bunch of fools yet again (anyone remember the ATHF lite-brite incident?) - but it's also bringing the crazy uptight citizens brigade out of the woodwork (with comments like "if he did this in Singapore, they'd chop off his arm.") to further embarrass the somewhat normal people around here. I'm not defending Fairey's "art" or "street art" in general, but geesh...
I don't have a problem with artists being whores. I have a problem when they are whores and pretend to be countercultural. It's ridiculous. So is the BPD. This was a stunt for both of them--it's true that is stupid of them to arrest him on these stupid charges when there are real issues and evens more stupid when it is done just to make a scene. So it looks like we've got a case of two phonies here: one pretending to protect and serve, and one pretending to be an outsider.
in the paper today they revealed who lit the fire under the BPD - anti-graffiti groups from the North End and the Back Bay... now we know who the police answer to... they won't come if you hear gunshots in Roxbury or Dorchester, but they'll spring into action when some wealthy, politically connected person with too much time on their hands gives them a call.
Sure, graffiti is a pain in the ass, but there are ways of combating it without sending kids to jail, wasting the police's time, and our tax money. Whatever message they are trying to send to wannabe street artists, it's just turning Fairey into a hero and justifying what he is doing.
Shepard Fairey Arrested
Last night - at the ICA in Boston, for "outstanding warrants." I'm guessing some kind of graffiti charge...
Boston Globe Article
what gets me is that they knew he was in town for days and yet they chose to pick him up right before he was scheduled to appear at the party. some people are saying publicity stunt... I'm not so sure.
I wouldn't be surprised if it was. Actually, I would expect it.
Why would they arrest a guy just for tending sheep?
And that crack about his sexuality is way out of line.
and what's worse, citizen, his critics can't even spell.
Maybe I'm making too much of this story, but several things jump out at me:
1. Fairey has been accused of ripping off the work of an African American artist to create the "Hope" piece.
2. Fairey appears to be the typical, anti-capitalist street artist, rebelling against the "norm", but is selling his poster all over the web for big bucks.
3. The "Hope" poster borrows from old-school socialist propoganda posters.
This means:
A white guy stole from an African American to create a piece of socialist art aimed at getting an African American elected to office, all the while raking in money from the "art" evolving into an internationally recognizable piece of "pop art".
Hmmm...
I'm sorry, I still just don't get how you can be the suburban son of a doctor with a degree from RISD and be a "street artist" or "countercultural". Sure, his stuff might be interesting and it might be mildly subversive, but I think we give these mainstream counterculturalists far too much credit for the little they do.
I especially liked this caption on wikipedia: "OBEY Giant clothing sold at an upscale Nordstrom department store". Why can't "street artists" just accept that theirs is an aesthetic style like anything else without all the attitude and self-righteousness?
ok - this thing has officially reached stupid - the warrant is for not appearing in court over a fine of $200 from some incident back in 2000.
This is a complete waste of BPD resources and our tax money. kids are getting shot in dorchester and you're going after this guy for one incident of graffiti 9 years ago? trumping it up with more charges to justify making the arrest and causing a big scene? what the hell...
of course Fairey's going to play it up because the whole thing is completely ridiculous and it's free publicity for his show... not only is it painting the BPD as a bunch of fools yet again (anyone remember the ATHF lite-brite incident?) - but it's also bringing the crazy uptight citizens brigade out of the woodwork (with comments like "if he did this in Singapore, they'd chop off his arm.") to further embarrass the somewhat normal people around here. I'm not defending Fairey's "art" or "street art" in general, but geesh...
now I'm regretting posting this thread.
Fairey's wife is the one that turned OBEY into the brand that it is, btw. They were going to have a kid and needed cash.
Artists are whores, who cares.???
I don't have a problem with artists being whores. I have a problem when they are whores and pretend to be countercultural. It's ridiculous. So is the BPD. This was a stunt for both of them--it's true that is stupid of them to arrest him on these stupid charges when there are real issues and evens more stupid when it is done just to make a scene. So it looks like we've got a case of two phonies here: one pretending to protect and serve, and one pretending to be an outsider.
in the paper today they revealed who lit the fire under the BPD - anti-graffiti groups from the North End and the Back Bay... now we know who the police answer to... they won't come if you hear gunshots in Roxbury or Dorchester, but they'll spring into action when some wealthy, politically connected person with too much time on their hands gives them a call.
Sure, graffiti is a pain in the ass, but there are ways of combating it without sending kids to jail, wasting the police's time, and our tax money. Whatever message they are trying to send to wannabe street artists, it's just turning Fairey into a hero and justifying what he is doing.
I made a mistake - the fine was $100, not 200...
I do completely agree with that, toaster. My problem is not with the act, but with the attitude.
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