Years ago, Sega made posters for a Super Monkey Ball title in the likeness of a Shepard Fairey poster...the Obey Giant poster. I believe Sega was sued and they settled out of court. It's pretty funny that he would sue someone for borrowing the look of his poster and when the tables are turned, he pleads ignorance. I wouldn't have any problems with his work if he credits the images he uses. The guy has made tons of money off of ignorance and my friends know that I would really love to annoy Shepard one day by wearing a rip off of his own work....and plead ignorance. http://www.jinx.com/men/shirts/jinx_logo/jinx_disobey.html?catid=3#bigdesign
I still never really understand when people get upset that there are artists who "steal" their artwork. personally, I like when artists find old, obscure things and use them in new ways. it shows they are smart, well cultured, well read, innovative, have good taste, etc. people ought to be more critical of artists that rip off other current artists, than those that rip off older random imagery. how many Baseman/Biskup style clones are out there right now because that's what's popular. I'd much rather see someone take old imagery and make it interesting than have someone just fucking draw colored lines and plop paint randomly on a canvas and call it art. also, stealing things is fucking punk. now Walmart stealing from Obey is a different story, but they got clowned in the end so...
other news flashes for this website: there are many bands the ripoff the ramones, minor threat and bad brains. many people who rip off warhol. I thought this was an onion article when I first saw it.
oh yeah, I was gonna mention in my post how bands do this shit all the time and it's cool, but if an artist does it apparently he's a dick and not a "real" artist whatever
re-reading it, it seems the thing people are most annoyed about is him trying to copywrite previous public domain images, or images produced anonymously during political struggle. Not the actual use of them in his artwork.
regardless, they use the word "plagiarizing", which is to say that he has stolen something that belongs to someone else and passed it off as his own but like, who doesn't do that anymore? I think as long as you're not trying to use something that just came out like 2 weeks ago, it's really not hurting anything
and ummm the Misfits maybe? That skull is an O.G. biker image from way back, there are alot of Nazi images lifted by the Hells Angels and old Biker Clubs in general... The dude who wrote that def has an agenda, i saw an interview with him and he ripped on Fairey for a good long piece then went on to sweat Don Ed Hardy. Not that Fariey is a "Better" artist that Hardy but I think the writer is mad that Modern Primitive is over.
yeah, it's weird. I was looking at a ring with that skull on last week. I just couldn't pull the trigger on it knowing where it came from.
I don't think everyone does know the source of Shephard's work. Ask plenty of people they have no idea, or much interest - so I think this is interesting - thanks for posting. What surprised me most is just how little he changes some of this source material. I honestly figured he did a bit more than just stick an obey logo on something, but I guess I was expecting too much. The fact he manufactured a huge amount of his clothing line in Pakistan is what turned me off the brand a few years ago, plus he was doing it before most. The conditions for workers used to be (and probably still are) some of the worst out there, and teh only reason to do that is to completely maximize profits IMO.
I am surprised that this is not common knowledge. Fairey works in stencils. He cuts out and just mass produces images (the AK's, Andre, stars, etc.). I guess I was just unaware of the perception that he was creating work that was made completely from scratch and not taking other images out of context and placeing them in new arrangements and compositions. He did start his career as a vandal, what's wrong with a little theft?
So how is his use of older, existing images worse than all the bootleg image clip-art used in all the guerilla/street art posters & flyers? That's what he started out doing. He even publically states that the phrase "Obey" comes a billboard in the movie 'They Live' (great movie). I beleive things can be placed in another context & take on an entirely different meaning.
what was old is new again (kinda)... It's hard to get away from strong imagery, and I don't think he ever intended to get too far away anyhow...gotta figure if someone is still around that can sue over the images Mr. Fairey uses that they'd be doing it...I doubt if the nazis are gonna throw down a suit anytime soon... it doesn't bother me that he uses those images---I truly doubt that anyone thought he came up with them originally anyway...simple appropriation of graphic design, not new and not news... Gotta hand it to the guy for making money by sticking an Andre face on old graphics!
I think very highly of his talent, now that he's a superb graphic designer. His poster sensibility is top notch. He really understands the power "flat" imagery and clearly knows a lot about the history of posters in both propaganda and advertising. However it sort of amuses and irks me to think that so many of his worshippers think he's still this radical far left street artist undermining "the man" and capitalism. Nah, he's as commercial as can be, not "undermining" anything "from within" at all. I think of his uncomissioned work as being similar to some of what Kozik does ... they use powerful pre-existing iconography for effect. Make of it what you will, but while he does talk a good line about his politics, dude ain't no revolutionary or visionary. Please. He did my company's former corporate identity, and that wasn't exactly yesterday. It's sort of weird having the same Obey 1984 Big Bro face in a star staring out at you from work-related materials that you see on Dunnnys and such. I liked it all so much better when it was a matter of mysterious wheat-pasted posters underneath overpasses and such. Long time ago. Torch got passed to banksy.
I don't think his artwork is that interesting to be honest, I'd much prefer to own the originals he stole from. I've got a couple of russian, polish and czech movie posters here and I love them.
that is not a rip off in the traditional sense. sometimes artists like to take the irony of images and turn it to new messages. i like it when once in a while people do that but not when it's all their work. if you want to see real plaigiarism, go to that "thought you wouldn't notice" site. or if you want to see Hong Kong style copycat, check this: http://welovecopy.blogspot.com/
