Shepard Fairey Controversy
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- OSFA0
I give it 10 posts before Chuck is also brought into this thread...
- OSFA0
and banksy
- airey0
just as a show of hands, who seriously gives a fuck?
if you really, truly do, what about the thousands, if not millions of similar rip-off artists that don't make a living from doing so? are you against the fine-line that denotes 'copying, homage, inspired-by and ripp' or against him making some bank doing so? obviously this is an intellectual property issue but is this the case only if someone makes serious coin? if so, why let them get away with it for all the years earlier when they did it for noting but insane voices in the head?
just asking as a matter of discussion.
- flavorful0
He has a problem with get up kids. Another thing I gathered from his QBN Sessions ... well session ... was that he alters people's visions of Che Guevara.
- jfletcher0
I saw Shepard speak at the QBN sessions which I loved. When I furst saw his work I was pissed about the Obey thing because it came from a movie, and I thought the credit for that was hidden.
I hadn't given much thought to it recently since I've really enjoyed his work overall, but this article raises some questions for me...
- acescence0
it's fabulous to see people put so much effort into bitching and moaning. that mark vallen writes pretty well for a disgruntled 5-year-old though.
- OSFA0
imagine if he spends all that time coming up with some fresh concept or material???
- blackspade0
this has been done to death, concentrate on your own work for f*k sake
- wendog0
The fact that he took old propaganda posters that he didn't create adds to the whole street artist vibe...I don't consider it plagiarism, because he came up with the idea of re-applying those images that he found in a unique way...Also, his techniques of street art add to his own original style - The way he produces his work is just as significant as the work itself...Im buzzed on wine so if this is incoherent im sorry
- Meeklo0
handsomeboy:
I am surprised no one has brought up the OBEY vs FUCT designs.Do a search buddy
- Point50
He discussed his methods briefly... I think it comes down to just how much of the artwork was changed; it would appear just enough to avoid lawsuits. Can't really say I liked his attitude, a bit cocky it seemed, but his theory behind everything was pretty fucking thought provoking.
- ukit0
Yeah I'd have to agree...no shame in calling him out on this stuff, since people don't seem to be generally aware of it. it doesn't sound like he's broken any laws, but it makes a difference if he built something from the ground up or essentially photocopied it and stuck his logo on it.
- eieio0
If his work is supposed to be some sort of creative appropriation then why isn't he more upfront about the sources and that context? seems like the appropriated nature of his work is always second to his name and his brand. In the street art scene people like him are considered sellouts and posers.
- the term 'sell out' seems to weaken every year.airey
- I think it means a million times more in this day and ageeieio
- you must be young. 15 years ago a musician or artists wouldn't have their stuff used on ads at all.airey
- now almost every advert has a backing track by a muso that somehow retains cred.airey
- the term has weakened massively these days or at least evolved somewhat.airey
- this is why it means more. Wtf happened to people's principles? Punk must be dead.eieio
- Point50
this is a big deal because the subject matter was a big deal; and the original photograph is possibly owned by a large company; and he flat out lied when asked about where he drew the source image from. Now the dominoes are falling.
- airey0
i like his stuff and i also agree he should be less 'head up arse' in relation to where the original intent came from. reading that article i guess it's 'smoke 'em if you got 'em, we're goin' down' territory.
do you think his work will be more or less 'legit' after a few months of sexual assault in a minimum security prison?
- Chief0
"What initially disturbed me about the art of Shepard Fairey is that it displays none of the line, modeling and other idiosyncrasies that reveal an artist’s unique personal style. His imagery appears as though it’s xeroxed or run through some computer graphics program; that is to say, it is machine art that any second-rate art student could produce.
In fact, I’ve never seen any evidence indicating Fairey can draw at all."
pffft, what difference does that make? this sounds like some of the bs that came out of an open forum we had back in art school where the painting students and faculty refused to aknowledge the digital media program as "real art" all while paul pfeiffer sat with a bewildered look on his face like wtf am i doing here.
- This was my real beef with his critique, too. His "drawing skills" aren't really the issue here, and it discredits the rest of the arguments!anzelina
- ukit0
I never saw the hype about his work. I don't think it's hating to say that, because I don't really care one way or the other, but I always thought it was weird that he got so much attention.
There are plenty of kinds of art where sampling from others work could be viewed as legitimate, but with SF is always seemed like a dumbing down, mass market version of whatever he was borrowing from, never any real twist to it or insight.
Basically what he is is a really good marketer/ business guy.