New Shepard Fairey Print Blows

Graphic designing street artist Shepard Fairey continues campaigning for the environment, releasing another tabloid-style print warning about the dangers of global warming. Modeled after The Sun and reminiscent of the faux newspapers created and distributed by the Yes Men, Fairey’s “Sun Paper Print” is available sometime tomorrow in an edition of 450 for $45.

Appropriating the Appropriator

Skewville apparently likes to mark his territory and nudge streets artists that put up work in his part of town with a little painted reminder. The Brooklyn-based vandal has been steadily enhancing various pieces and now adds Shepard Fairey to his hit list with this highly appropriate and smartly done modification.

Photo by Bucky Turco/ANIMALnewyork

Shepard Fairey Creates Backpack for Streetwear Enthusiasts

Shepard Fairey’s new backpack from his Obey clothing line comes with a security blanket, perfect for all the streetwear fanboys trying to keep warm while camped outside Supreme for some limited edition whatever. No, seriously, it really does: “Great for camping out for sneaks or hittin’ the concert circuit.” |Obey|

Shepard Fairey’s Purple Passion for Kobe Bryant

Graphic design stealing creating artist Shepard Fairey took his thoroughly iconic Barack Obama style of shading and has adapted it to create these limited edition Kobe Bryant lithograps for the Upper Deck. There’s basically two styles of the same image offered, but with different lettering: ‘MVP’ or ‘KOBE.’ Slathered in Lakers team colors, the 20×30 inch prints come printed on French archival paper and for more money, they’re offering dual autographed versions signed by both Shepard and Kobe, which is “guaranteed authentic through Upper Deck Authenticated’s patented five-step process,” which is good know considering the cost on these things. Head over to the Upper Deck website for complete pricing since there’s more than a few cost altering options.

‘Shepard the Fairey Has A Pussy’ Sticker

While some eager graphic designers, like Baxter Orr, like to take subtle jabs at Shepard Fairey, others go right for the jugular.This parody of the artist’s famed ‘Andre the Giant has a posse’ sticker was spotted in Philly and takes a shot at the man himself, depicting a stencil-like image of the propagandist. Chances are that this take down ain’t making the bootlegs section of the Obey site. |IHateAlex|
Photo: |LunaPark|

Shepard Fairey’s Weekend Wreckage

Hope Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Love him or hate him, Shepard Fairey gets up. Sure it’s mostly within the safety net of lower Manhattan and Williamsbug, but it still counts on the street art meter. He arrived in town last Thursday to not only DJ the Guggenheim on Friday night, but to also feed a vandalistic itch that he likens to drugs: “I’ve always looked it as a kind of positive addiction. I think that people using the streets to express themselves is a positive thing because most people are too afraid to ever empower themselves. So if it inspires people, even if they don’t do something themselves, even if it gets them talking about the content it gets the issues out on the table, I think that’s relevant too. Even if it’s you man, even if it’s negative. It’s all generating something.” In all, he hit about 16 spots—Gothamist compiled a gallery—working over two days with a lookout/assistant.

No End In Sight For Shepard Fairey

This past Friday, ANIMAL reported that Shepard Fairey could be legally blind by the end of the year from complications due to diabetes according to a very well placed source—who refuses to back down from their story. Reached by phone yesterday, Shepard Fairey vehemently denied that he’s losing his vision, but did openly admit to having lots of past vision problems, even as recent as last June, right around the time he was readying his “E Pluribus Venom” exhibit at Jonathan LeVine Gallery, “[W]hen I was in NY last summer for my show at Jonathan’s, I just had a bleed in my right eye and the whole time I was working on that show I only had partial vision in my right eye. But, I was still able to work, I could still paint and cut, and do what I need to do,” said Fairey. The show, which featured over 150 pieces, all sold out according to LeVine.

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Is This The End Of Shepard Fairey?

Shepard Fairey, the 38-year-old street artist who has garnered mainstream attention recently thanks to the “Progress” and “Hope” posters he designed for Barack Obama’s campaign, is rapidly losing his vision due to a lifelong battle with diabetes. According to one source close to Fairey, he could be legally blind by the end of the year.
“That’s why he’s having so many gallery shows and making so many prints,” the source, who requested anonymity, said. “The Faireys are trying to pump out as much artwork as they can before he can’t see anymore — time is running out.”
Before his Obama work, Fairey was best known for littering countless urban landscapes with his ‘Andre the Giant Has A Posse’ wheatpastings and and has been compared to a modern-day Andy Warhol by many in the contemporary art world.

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