Shepard Fairey's new outdoor mural on Melrose is temporary

If you've driven along Melrose Avenue in the past couple of weeks, you probably have noticed a new outdoor mural on the north side of the street near Ogden Avenue, across from Fairfax High School.

The recognizable mash-up of pop-psychedelic images -- including an elephant, a lotus flower and "Obey" logos -- point to only one source: Shepard Fairey, the popular and controversial L.A. street artist.

Fairey and his team of artists created the 56 foot by 18 foot painting on the exterior of De La Barracuda, a clothing, hair and art gallery space frequented by über-hip trendsetters.

A spokesman for Fairey said that the artist has a close working relationship with Barracuda. He said the outdoor wall space usually is used for advertising but there was a gap in bookings, so the owner allowed Fairey to temporarily take over the space for his artwork.

Anyone wanting to check out the mural in person is advised to do so soon. The spokesman said that the artwork is scheduled to stay up only "for another couple of weeks" before it is covered up by an advertisement.

Fairey has recently been busy with his upcoming solo show "May Day" at Deitch Projects in New York that is scheduled to open May 1. The Fairey show is the last exhibition at the space before Jeffrey Deitch becomes the new director of the Museum of Contemporary Art in L.A.

The artist is currently battling the Associated Press in a fair-use legal case concerning his "Hope" poster of Barack Obama. In October, Fairey admitted that he knowingly submitted false images and deleted others in an attempt to conceal the fact that the AP had correctly identified the photo used as a reference for the poster.

On Monday, a judge in New York asked that Fairey disclose the identities of parties who deleted or destroyed records related to the case.

Click through for another view of Fairey's latest Hollywood mural...

 

-- David Ng

Photos: Shepard Fairey's mural on Melrose Avenue. Credit: Obey the Giant / Barracuda

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Comments

[To Ha]

I hope Fairey remembers to Graffiti Coat this temporary mural.

[westsidesvs]

"I hope Fairey remembers to Graffiti Coat this temporary mural. "

haha. seriously. how would he feel about taggers taking a go at it?

[Polmoche]

Beautiful - but move on from the whole "obey" thing, as well as the oversaturated giant face. I think that ground has been covered at this point. Complacency... hubris... whatever you want to call it (how about outright commercialism) is the death knell of a true artist.

[markiejoe]

it's a great mural. very well executed.

[Orange County Injury Lawyer]

gorgeous mural and great pop art. i hope it stays up.

[tink]

It's fun for looks, but it's the same derivative crap Fairey always serves up.

[XOXO]

I think Fairey of all people would understand people tagging the wall. He's been a street artist for some 20 years. Besides, I'm sure someone will bomb it just to dis him (always happens to the popular, fair or no).

[Duane]

If they were really "über-hip trendsetters," they'd know that Fairey is soooo 2008. Way to go, gramps!

OBEY whaaaat? All we can do is HOPE for good street art anymore.

[Paleta Fresca]

Regardless of what you think about his "HOPE" copyright infringement case, he certainly has a distinct visual style.

[copyright]

I wonder who he copied from this time.