Shepard Fairey responded to MoCA buffing Blu’s mural by defending Jeffrey Deitch’s decision. In a statement to the LA Times, he seems to agree it was censorship, but thinks avoiding the possibility of controversy is better than “fighting,” lest his opening be jeopardized or his art business associate dishonored.
This is a complex situation that could have been avoided [altogether] with better communication. I’m not a fan of censorship but that is why I, and many of the other artists of the show, chose to engage in street art for its democracy and lack of bureaucracy…
However, a museum is a different context with different concerns. It would be tragic for the break through of a street art /graffiti show at a respected institution like MOCA to be sabotaged by public outcry over perceived antagonism or insensitivity in Blu’s mural. Graffiti is enough of a contentious issue already. The situation is unfortunate but I understand MOCA’s decision. Sometimes I think it is better to take the high road and forfeit a battle but keep pushing to win the war. Street art or graffiti purists are welcome to pursue their art on the streets as they always have without censorship…
…just not welcome in a museum retrospective of graffiti and street art?
Meanwhile, in light of Blu’s statement on being told to lie about agreeing to the buffing of his mural, Vandalog’s editor says he is “reassasing” his position supporting MoCA’s censorship and will respond. “Not tonight though.” (Photo: Jim Kiernan)
Win the war? What the fuck is he talking about. What war? Have fun as a kid and then capitalize on oppurtunity? That war? Seems to me that he's acting like a business man….which means the real war was list looooooooooong ago.
What a fucking douche: " I'm not a fan of censorship…" Does he listens to himself sometimes or is his brain just stuck in the grey area where his propaganda / anti capitalism becomes his avant guarde / campaign for selling more clothes ??
when you begin defending the establishment, is when you know you are the establishment.
Shepard Fairey YAWN, I'm sleep.
Blu's mural was incredibly relevant and a fact people in the art world are not willing to face, it shows they are more aligned with t.v. programming than with human expression.
Exactly right about fairey being safe, protecting business, "let's have street art, let us all agree-the message should be positive". In another way, I like the fact, it was removed, because there could come a point in any artwork, when the only evidence of it, is a photograph.
In this case, it's an image people should be face with, because right now it's out of sight out of mind, that coffins with dead bodies, mean monies for some real life living individuals