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Rock Style Opening at SOTHEBY’S london

Jeffrey Deitch and Tommy Hilfiger present “Rock Style,” an exhibit featuring work by leading photographers documenting seminal bands throughout history, including The Beatles, Rolling Stones, The Ramones, and more. Shepard will be contributing six specially commissioned paintings of David Bowie, George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, and others. “Rock Style” explores the impact of musicians and their style on the fashion world.

Sotheby’s London S|2
Exhibit Dates: Sept. 22 – Oct. 30
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Reminder: On Our Hands opens Sept. 17 in NYC!

Jacob Lewis Gallery is pleased to present On Our Hands, an exhibition of new paintings by Shepard Fairey. The exhibition will be on view September 18 – October 24, with a public opening reception September 17, 4-8pm.

On Our Hands is the first solo exhibition of Fairey’s paintings in New York City since 2010. In his new body of work, Fairey builds up the surface of his canvas in densely collaged relief, calling to mind a city wall layered with decades of distressed flyers. The paintings reflect on contemporary issues facing our global community: political corruption, environmental apathy and abuse of power. The exhibition is marked by a focus on corporate influence in government and the resulting inaction toward environmental concerns by the powers that be.

“I am incredibly honored to show at Jacob Lewis Gallery. I have known Jacob for years, and he has always maintained an insightful understanding of my aesthetics, techniques, and philosophies,” says Fairey on his inaugural exhibition at his representing gallery in New York. In cooperation with the gallery, a concurrent survey of Fairey’s newest print editions will be on view at Pace Prints one floor below.

Shepard Fairey first gained prominence while still a student at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he created his seminal “Andre the Giant Has a Posse” sticker. Fairey, taking notes from conceptual artist Barbara Kruger’s white-on red type design, transformed the original sticker into an internationally recognized symbol of the OBEY brand. Over the past two decades, Fairey has created indelible paintings, illustrations, fine art editions and murals critiquing the ever-changing political landscape. Influenced by Russian Constructivism, Chinese Communist propaganda and American advertising, Fairey’s work exemplifies a lifelong experiment in phenomenology and a simultaneously hopeful and damning call for independent thought in America.

The exhibition coincides with Fairey’s new monograph Covert to Overt, published by Rizzoli. A limited number of copies will be available for advance purchase at Jacob Lewis Gallery before the book’s release date.

For additional information please contact Jacob Lewis Gallery at: [email protected]

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Support the human trial!

I’ve always believed in grassroots movements. Good ideas should rise to the top regardless of whether they are supported by deep-pockets or those with more ingenuity than resources. Shedding light on ingenuity in the race to find a cure for diabetes is the goal of the documentary “The Human Trial.” The film follows the patients and scientists of a clinical trial that looks like it might find the cure for diabetes. The film weaves the scientific, social and political threads of the story of the rivalry between labs, the role of the FDA, and the influence of Big Pharma, to produce a groundbreaking film that asks: What is stopping us from stopping this disease? Diabetes hits home for me because I’m a Type 1 diabetic.

To contribute to the making of this film, I designed the movie poster which will also be a t-shirt to raise funds for the cause. You can participate by picking up a shirt and raising funds and awareness for “The Human Trial” documentary as it brings world attention to finding a cure for diabetes. Thanks for caring.
– Shepard

CLICK HERE to show your support and purchase a shirt.

THE HUMAN TRIAL from OBEY CLOTHING on Vimeo.

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY // SHEPARD GETS MUSICAL

Here’s a good blast from the past of Shepard going through his all-time favorite bands and albums.  This list still holds up.  Check it out and throw on some of these records this weekend!

Poster Child
Graffiti ‘Giant’ Shepard Fairey Gets Musical

Since the mid-‘90s, Shepard Fairey has plastered the globe with his humorously anti-authoritarian posters and stickers emblazoned with Constructivism-inspired icons and Orwellian commands. Most notably, that of deceased wrestling star Andre the Giant issuing the vague threat to OBEY. But what does it mean?

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PLEDGE TO RESTORE DEMOCRACY // LAWRENCE LESSIG 2016

There are 4 more days left to donate to Lawrence Lessig’s campaign to hit $1 million and take meaningful steps toward anti-corruption reform.  Lawrence Lessig is fighting for our equality as citizens by restoring voting rights and changing the way campaigns are funded.  Help him restore democracy by contributing to his campaign. The time is RIGHT NOW! Thanks for caring.   – Shepard

The Citizen Equality Act is presented here as a template for three fundamental reforms that must happen if we are to have equal citizens. We are presenting this package now, pointing to the proposed legislative source for each element. If the campaign is launched after Labor Day, then in the fall, we will crowdsource a process to complete the details of this reform, and turn it into proposed legislation by January 1.

EQUAL RIGHT TO VOTE

We must have a system that guarantees a meaningfully equal freedom to vote. To achieve that, we must at a minimum enact the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2015 and the Voter Empowerment Act of 2015. We should as well add automatic registration, and shift election day to a national holiday.

EQUAL REPRESENTATION

Equal citizens must have equal representation in Congress. That means, districts must be drawn, and election systems structured, so as to give each citizen as close to equal political influence as possible.FairVote has offered the most comprehensive solution to achieve this equality. At a minimum, the Citizen Equality Act would incorporate their  proposed “Ranked Choice Voting Act,” which ends political gerrymandering and creates multi-member districts with ranked choice voting for Congress.

CITIZEN FUNDED ELECTIONS

A core corruption of our political system is the concentration of funders of political campaigns. That concentration creates extraordinary inequality. The Citizen Equality Act would end that inequality, at a minimum by adopting a campaign funding proposal that is a hybrid between John Sarbanes’ Government by the People Act, and Represent.US’s “American Anti-Corruption Act.” That hybrid would give every  voter a voucher to contribute to fund congressional and presidential campaigns; it would provide matching funds for small-dollar contributions to congressional and presidential campaigns. And it would add effective new limits to restrict the revolving door between government service and work as a lobbyist.

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This Changes Everything

Naomi Klein’s book This Changes Everything did just that for me. I’ve been a long time advocate for climate change but this book inspired me and continues to inspire me; now it’s a film. I’m proud to be an Executive Producer alongside Seth MacFarlane, Vivienne Westwood, Danny Glover and others. When Naomi and Avi (the director) asked me to get involved and create the poster and art for the film, I jumped at the chance to make something that resonates with audiences and evokes a feeling of urgency and change needed NOW. The future of our planet is the most important cause there is. Klein thoroughly and compellingly examines the causes of climate change and the systemic roadblocks to reversing it. I know the film will have a lasting impact. It’s overwhelmingly clear through the book and film, that income inequality, lack of corporate oversight, campaign finance, lobbying, and many other current strands of capitalism are all related to our inability to significantly counter climate change. We ALL need to protect humanity and the planet if we want to protect our future. Thanks for caring!
-Shepard

Click HERE for more info and check out the trailer and poster (click more) below:

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‘LAX/LHR’ THINKSPACE X STOLENSPACE

Shepard has a few pieces in the upcoming ‘LAX/LHR’ show at StolenSpace Gallery in London. StolenSpace Gallery will join forces with Think Space LA to co-curate the group show, featuring more than 100 artists! Click HERE to view the full line up and if you’re in or around London, be sure to check it out!

Opening Reception: Sept. 3, 6-10pm
Exhibition Dates: Sept. 4 – Oct. 4

StolenSpace Gallery
17 Osborn St, London E1 6TD

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Reminder: POSION opens this Sat. at Library Street Collective!

Cleon Peterson’s new solo exhibition ‘POISON’ opens at Library Street Collective this Saturday, August 29th in Detroit!

Click HERE to see more from the show. Contact [email protected] for additional information.

Library Street Collective presents “POISON”
a solo exhibition by Cleon Peterson
August 29th — October 15th 2015
Opening Reception: Saturday, August 29th 2015 from 6– 9 p.m.

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Live Talks Los Angeles presents an Evening with Shepard Fairey

Live Talks Los Angeles presents an Evening with Shepard Fairey, in conversation with Moby, Tuesday, October 6th at 8pm. The evening shares a title with his upcoming book, Covert to Overt: The Under/ Overground Art of Shepard Fairey and focuses on his prolific post-Obama HOPE poster output. The book features numerous collaborations, international showcases, murals/installations from around the globe, countless silkscreens, and many fine art creations. General admission seats are available, in addition to reserve seating which also comes with a copy of the book. Click HERE for ticket options. Click more below for specifics on the event from Live Talks Los Angeles.

An Evening with Shepard Fairey in conversation with Moby

Tuesday, October 6, 2015
8:00pm (Reception, 6:30-7:30pm)

COVERT TO OVERT:
The Under/Overground Art of Shepard Fairey

Ann and Jerry Moss Theatre
New Roads School
Herb Alpert Educational Village
3131 Olympic Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90404

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Lawrence Lessig 2016

I REALLY like Bernie Sanders as a presidential candidate. He is a champion of many social justice and progressive issues I care about. Bernie Sanders has a great record of public service and courage. However, even if Bernie Sanders were elected president, his policies would be hindered by a Congress corrupted by the current campaign finance structure. As many of you know, I have made campaign-finance-reform, or to be more blunt, legal bribery reform, a major focus of my art and politics. Current campaign finance structure encourages favoritism toward powerful corporate and special interest donors that is nothing short of corruption. When the wants and needs of the majority of people are ignored to favor the desires of the rich and powerful minority, the campaign system and democracy itself is broken. As the media speculates on the outcome of the primary season, I have been speaking more recently about my strategy to push principles rather than personalities through my art. However, if there is a personality who embodies the principle of campaign-finance-reform that is essential to restoring democracy, it is Lawrence Lessig. Lessig is an anti-corruption reform activist, more than a politician, but he knows that we will never get a true democracy, or the best versions of the politicians we support, until the broken campaign finance system is fixed. Check out his statements and help give attention to this issue and support its reform! Thanks for caring.
-Shepard Fairey

Click HERE to read Lawrence Lessig’s statement on why he wants to run for president

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