Obama 'Hope' poster artist Shepard Fairey arrested

What a roller-coaster ride it's been for artist Shepard Fairey.

Los Angeles has been familiar with the street artist's work for some time, but for the rest of the nation, Fairey became an "overnight success" through his Obama "Hope" poster. 

Last month, the National Portrait Gallery added Fairey's Obama portrait to its collection.

Life was good. Posters selling for big bucks. Museum validation.

Then last week the Associated Press accused Fairey of copyright infringement, saying the poster image was based on one of its photos, taken in April 2006 by Manny Garcia on assignment for the AP at the National Press Club in Washington.

Today comes word that the artist was arrested in Boston last night, on warrants accusing him of tagging. Fairey was detained en route to a party at Boston's Institute of Contemporary Art, which is presenting "Supply and Demand," the first solo exhibition of the 38-year-old artist's work. Read what happened here.

Culture Monster will keep you posted on any other developments.

-- Lisa Fung

Credit: Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press  

Comments

[chris]

The AP photo looks different. Shepard's formatting and head angle is much better than the photo in question. That, and the AP photo has a flag in the background. They're just jealous. If their photo was so great, why does nobody remember it?

-C

[Aubri T]

its funny how people are trying to make it sound like he got busted with drugs or something bad. He got arrested for his art, he doesn't care. The AP suing him is such BS, i can't believe they would sink that low. You can't own an icon. I don't see how they could be suing him really.. its just a picture deal with it.

[Thomas K Nagano]

My friend Mike "Matsumi" Kanemitsu (RIP 1922 - 1992) said of his son Paul and Paul's friends "the only difference between your graffiti and mine, is your's is on public walls and mine's on gallery walls. [and I get paid]."

Shortly after that statement, Paul and his friends, tagged the interior walls of MOCA (Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art) and got paid for their contribution to Art in Los Angeles.

"Decorator art is defined by the space, Fine Art defines the Space."
---T K Nagano 1984.

[Barbara]

Tagging? Heavens to Betsy! He plastered those posters all over and that is how they became iconic images for Barack. And, oh no! He's in the news again. What artist doesn't want to be in the news, and as a rebel at that.

As for copyright, AP will lose. All artwork is based on something - any derivation is a 'new' work. Check out Appropriation Art - Sherri Levine. Fairey could have re-photographed AP's photo and hung it in the Whitney.

[Lilly]

Thats Boston for ya

[CYNIC TCP]

I love sitting back and looking at the bigger picture behind all this. The authorities, the AP, they have no idea how insignificant their actions are. In the long run my children, my childrens children, and everyone after that for centuries will read about Shep and his amazing contributions to art, and his role as a revolutionary and a freedom fighter. His work and name will outlive any cop's, any lawyer's, any DA's, etc. keep at it shep, your a huge inspiration to all of us.

[John]

Sounds like he was arrested for doing something illegal. What's the problem. He committed a crime, so he needs to be punished appropriately. What if it was a poster of George Bush. Would people be defending this guy then? I doubt it.

[Neal]

"Sounds like he was arrested for doing something illegal"

Sounds like ?

[lulu]

Last I checked, defacing property is still a crime. Municipalities and business's spend millions of dollars a year cleaning this up. Sentence him to 4,000 hours of community service cleaning up graffitti and maybe, just maybe, he'll have more respect for other people's property. I can think of better uses for my hard earned money than cleaning up some ungrateful's mess.

[brandon]

finally he gets busted for stealing others work.lets see you make something yourself for once shep.

[dingo]

the president has sheps back. that poster is soooo famous now.

[KATHLEEN DRAKE]

GOD BLESS THE WRITERS / ARTISTS
MY SON WAS AN ARTIST........EXPRESSION IS A GODSEND
MORGAN / KERSE'S MOM,
K

[John Canning]

Given his fame, I would think he is adding value to the properties he's tagged, rather than harming them. He should send a bill to the property owners for his time and effort.

[joy]

John wrote >>He committed a crime, so he needs to be punished appropriately. What if it was a poster of George Bush<<

Speaking of George Bush - he committed many crimes, including murdering thousands, destroying a country, sending US soldiers to their deaths. He's now resting at his ranch, protected by the authorities. Many around the world are hoping, likely in vain, for Bush to be charged and tried for his crimes.

Juxtapose that with an artist who is relentlessly pursued merely for tagging posters. It's about power and money - not justice, not right and wrong.

[Banksy]

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines art as, "the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects". There are so many decrepit looking buildings around the world that just beg for someone to come along and make them beautiful. When out for a walk, or driving around town, vibrant art on a once commonplace brick wall can provide hope. If even one person becomes captivated and inspired by that piece of art, then the world can be made a better place. Perhaps one of the reasons that we are so habitual and monotonous in our everyday lives stems from our inaccessibility to art. 16,000 years ago, deep within the caverns of Lascaux, France the drab walls were splayed with beautiful images for all to see. In our modern times however, we've taken art away from the common man. Paintings and sculptures are now kept under lock and key in museums we must pay to enter. To all the artists who go out and share their works, thank you. Keep bringing art to the people. Our futures depend on it.

-Banksy.

[Rob]

Mr Shepard Fairey creates an icon that is globally recognisable and is rewarded for his efforts by being arrested. This is the sort of behaviour that the United States criticises countries such as Russia and China for.

Presumably Campbell's soup are digging up Andy Warhol, Bass are tracking down Manet and Anselm Adams is being pursued by the US Parks Service for copyright infringement.

Think of any great photographer and the brands they inadvertently include in their images of life, for instance. Through the ages great artists have been inspired by their predecessors and their contemporaries. In the National Gallery of Ireland, alone, there is a study by Mengs of Raphael's 'Transfiguration' and an exquisite study of Christ in the House of Simon by Tiepelo after Veronese. It's clear that Fairey changed the image, transitioned it to a different medium and then used his observation of Obama in the US media to inform him. That the AP is carrying out what in effect, in my opinion, ends up as cultural censorship is a massive irony. Yes it's frustrating that others copy or use your work as a point of departure but a mature artist, photographer or creator learns to see it as a compliment. Hopefully sense will be seen here and the artist will benefit from even greater fame. In 1832 the French caricaturist and painter Daumier was arrested for his depiction of the French king as a bloated monarch. Despite his brush with the law he is seen today as the greatest caricaturist in history. Closer to home Dubliner Francis Bacon worked directly from photographs. His studio was moved from London to Dublin and amongst the inches of detritus on his studio floor were hundreds of images from various sources. He is seen today as possibly the most important painter in British or Irish history. Fight the good fight Mr Fairey. Even Banksy is in your corner - take AP to the cleaners for besmirching your right to express yourself!!

[Desider]

Fairey is an immoral art thief of others' work, including a lot of poorly paid leftist artists, as detailed in the following URL:

http://www.art-for-a-change.com/Obey/index.htm

Steal someone's print, slap "OBEY" on it, and take all the credit and money - AP would be advised to sue big and use the proceeds to pay back his victims.

[Skip]

It's funny how people attempt to knock Shepard every chance they can. The guy is extremely humble for being arguably the most famous artist of this generation and has ALWAYS been completely transparent when it comes to the sources for his work. He has inspired millions of people to become active in art. he also works his butt off putting up nearly 80-90% of every poster and sticker of the Obey campaign by himself.

Jealous ones envy.

[fury]

I wish we would stop giving this corporately-funded hypocritical plagiarist the time of day! There are so many other more valuable and interesting artists out there!

Anyway, I think Milton Glasser, Mark Vallen, Favianna Rodriguez, Josh Mac Phee Dan Wasserman, Lincoln Cushing and many many political artists, activists and thinkers are right: this sets a very bad precedent in the "art word!"

We need a class-action law suit!

[kittyb]

Mmmm last time I checked a REAL Artist was someone CREATING something ORIGINAL! Oh....I forgot...we live in a synthetic FAKE world where Art or Artist is a very loose term these days, its a sign of the times.
Don't forget, the photographer taking the picture is also an Artist and so would have copyright on his work too. I'm REALLY sick of this cheap/easy/quick/deliquent approach to Art, it demeans those with integrity in the practise, but hey, if you LIKE living in the plastic world, make this guy your saviour.....