My new body of work, Power & Glory, debuted last week in my hometown of Charleston, S.C., alongside a selection of works by Jasper Johns in the exhibit titled “The Insistent Image: Recurrent Motifs in the Art of Shepard Fairey and Jasper Johns.”  It was truly an honor to show my work with an artist that has inspired me, and being a fellow Southerner, allowed me to feel like I had a place in the art world.  To be embraced by the city of Charleston in the way that I was and to have my artwork displayed in the public sphere without the threat of arrest, is something I would have never expected earlier in my career.  I spent much of May in the city working with my team and the Halsey team to make this all come to fruition and into a GIANT success.  It was a huge undertaking and I couldn’t do it without the help of Mark Sloan and his wonderful team, Dan Flores, Nicholas Bowers, Z James, Rob Zagula, Jon Furlong, Angela Chvarak and everyone else that helped the project come together.  During my stay I was able to see many old friends and family and I’m so thankful that I got to share my art and the message behind Power & Glory.  The decline of the “American Dream” is a reality that we all face and I hope that my work has helped bring some of the issues causing the fall to the forefront.

-Shepard

Check out this video by Brett Novak about my art and the messages explored in this exhibition.