I don't see why there has to be a question about whether his work is art or not. He creates things that make people think and want to see, so even in the most basic term, his work is art.
No person, group, collective or whatever can ever define "art." A million people can hate it but if it exists, it's art. Mat Gleason DOES sound jealous; every artist is SUPPOSED to promote their work! Why would their work be in galleries then?
Because they cant market and sell it themselves. So they allow someone else to do it. Thats the galleries job. To work with the artist to find its audience and market. Oddly enough...artists are usually awful at it. Introverted and artist are synonymous for a reason.
He is totally an artist. Street art belongs in the street because once you put it in a gallery you get all these art critics talking about blah blah blah.
@ydoiwatchthese Glad you checked it out. "atleast do something" I dont think Shepard has does any murals himself anymore/aswell as his limited posters. - At every spot he's at he got several assistants who does everything. But in the end its whether you like his shit or not, which depends on every individual and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. :) btw BLEK LE RAT 1970* BANKSY RAT 2003? Who is the most original vs the most payed?
Love the work. After watching this, I thought I had seen this type of art before. I went and picked up my copy of Orwell's 1984, low and behold, cover work by Shepard Fairey. Anyone who does the artwork to THAT book deserves critical acclaim.
@ydoiwatchthese You know what I think? Banksy's masterpiece is Mr. Brain Wash, who has in some way or another exposed what pop art is lol He has actually redefined the difference between art and random image montages.
He has real cred. He came from the streets. For me, the repetition of his work has taken away any power the images once had for me. I see his work and I instantly recognize the style and I think, brand, and then I think Target/t-shirt. I know some guys who he's brought up and I love him for that. He's like any other art superbrand these days I guess. A reflection of the vacuous disposable brand conscious culture we are immersed in.
how can fairey's stuff NOT be art!? so much modern art will fulfil most definitions of art but maybe not in 1 or 2 areas. How can that guy gleason say it's not art because it's a brand!? um hello, van gogh's selling for 10s of millions!? people buying fine because it's an investment or to make them look good not because they like it!? welcome to the modern, money obsessed world. Gleason also said art should increase consciousness, this totally does that. plus, it looks amazing.
@RigidSaw found vallen's article interesting, but fundamentally flawed. The only point i agreed with is fairey should tell people where the images come from to increase awareness of old political issues that he is referencing in the modern world. Fairey's art is about concept, not creating something new with traditional techniques. There is a similarity with warhol there but this stuff for one looks so much better! But also the concept is better. Plus fairey donates a lot of the money he makes.
Yeah, I agree. They're the ones who killed the raw in NY graf art and why you hear all these names being touted as legendary and forget the REAL legends like Dondi [RIP] and Lee, Lady Pink, Duster, Blade, Seen, Tracey... Ladies and Gents like them who cats today will be all like, "Who?"
i love it! it me, it's art. the main thing i don't see as art would be someone to just video record themselves of just talking and answering questions or singing badly or just ripping up shirts. to me, art is something that you made, that you spend the time on to think of how to get your point across. art is something that makes up my life. i'm throwing you two thumbs up mr. shepard fairey =]
@xpez Its as if someone decided that anti establishment, punk rock, propaganda aesthetic would make a good branding base for products. What if Martha Stewart starting making paint by number posters of PLANTS and gardens Flowers and just used HOME AND GARDEN MAGAZINE PICTURES FOR HER WORK. sure people would enjoy it and want to buy it and thought it was wonderful. but would you consider it important fine art? It's not very radical when you get into the subject matter of the work.
@xpez as for you totally pompous 2nd paragraph, not all people want to approach art in a robotic, intellectual way. Art can inspire real genuine feelings. I think fairey's pictures look amazing, that's enough to make it worthwhile. Also many of them make some kind of political or anti-establishment sentiment. Whether they are copied or not, that point can not be denied.
@xpez No he doesn't HAVE to be original, he can be what he wants to be, just as anyone should. Also, he's not asking/demanding that people call him an artist, he describes himself as a "visual communicator," which personally i find a bit pretentious! In terms of the "brand," he has fought a few cases and has won on the fair use law. Some are quite bad copies, i agree. the vast majority for me have been totally changed or an interesting/funny/political point has been made with some change.
What is "fine art"? It seems like "art" has been hijacked by the rich. The definition of art is "The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power." Shepard Fairey does this.
ART IS LIKE MONEY THAT MAKES MORE INTEREST THEN BANKS TODAY. IF YOU MAKE SOME THING THAT EVERYONE HAS SOME KIND OF CONECTION IT WILL SELL LIKE HOT CAKES..
Shepard Fairey used to be good. But now, I feel like he is just in it for the cash. OBEY used to be about graffiti and mystery. Now it's just some clothing company...
Damn Shepard, your my hero! I'm 16 i got to art school and working on stencils too.. I love how your idea to shake people awake with your art on the street, now gets this much attention so more people can see your work and open their eyes! You deserve this! btw awesome Joy Division T man! ;)
anything can be classified as art. There are all kinds of art, car art, painting, sculpture comics, film, etc... People are confused by semantics. Some people think that in order for something to be "ART" it has to be good. No so. there is plenty of BAD art , crap art, and junk art. The point of contention is that most of this work is communicating IDEAS that have already been talked about in history and art history. This is why the work, in my opinion, isnt very interesting
@ydoiwatchthese well said mate. Never been a fan of warhol, the pop are thing was kind of a good comment by warhol but that was it, it was pop itself, throw away.
Its 2011comerades lets stop bickering! Everything in life is Art!....Some beautiful, some disturbing, some functional and some destructive! its up to you the viewer to pick your poison! Living=Art!
Who cares if it's not "fine art", it's not intended to be. You can't look at the work of a street artist and think it isn't art because it doesn't conform to your ideas about fine art. Excuse the cliche, but it's literally like comparing apples to oranges. They just aren't the same thing. Excuse the crap out of Fairey for trying to make statements he thinks are important in a public venue, instead of holing up in a loft somewhere smearing paint on a canvas waiting for someone to appreciate it.
I dont have to argue any of your points. EVeryone can enjoy art on their own terms for sure. I just think pilfering graphics from the past to reinvent them is BORING. That doesnt mean it cant be popular. That doesnt mean its not COOL to some. It doesnt mean people cant enjoy it.. But putting it in the realm with Barbare Kruger, Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, etc is like putting GENE SIMMONS on par with JOHN CAGE....
Its true, for the most part its all mostly a youth fan base that keeps it going. Its quite a down grade, you see this new generation of teens putting obey on their facebook, putting pictures of them wearing an obey hat saying swag, -___- If my art was appreciated in such a poor way, I would probably just stop making art
Is not art. Is organized vandalism. He should take a class on fresco painting to learn a little about art. His pieces are soooo single minded and straight forward
quick question i know shepard has a lot of messages in his art toward politics but why is obery clothing so expensive isnt that kind of contradicting? and why do people seem to like it more becuase it is fashionable rather then the messages they posses
Fine art bores me. I understand the skill thats involved in capturing an image but thats as far as (the majority of) it goes. Street art reflects a culture... And tells you a whole lot more than the subject itself. Some fine art is thought provoking... But all street art is.
So you're less interested in the art itself and more interested in reason he's doing it? Am I understanding that correctly? The art was great until he figured out he could make money off it, even though it's the same kind of art?
im so pissed ppl compare some artists like this guy to andy warhol. warhol was the biggest joke of an artist to ever be on the world. yes he pushed boundaries and what not but all he did was take a picture, anyone can do that, and put color on it. aka a joke. my opinion not yours. get mad about it idc.
@LKeet6 So he doesnt have to be original and can take what he pleases and mix and match political heroes and straight rip off other logos to make his own brand....OK... Only uneducated people would appreciate this nonsense. And to somehow classify it in some kind of postmodern category only furthers the illusion of something intellectual going on.
albert speer lol...and that makes you the trend setter? thats fine man, everyone has their own opinion, hate it like it whatever this crap doesn't put food in my table...
+albert speer plz tell me what is. ive been teaching art for almost 20 years and its this kind of mentality that holds kids back from trying to create. art is creating. i dont give a fuck how you do it....if you trace or project an image....making something with your hands is art. we dont need these kind of boundaries holding anyone back. got it?
I love Shepards art and his movement/some of his viewpoints onthe world. I hate that people my age idolize the company and not the art. Makes me weep
I don't see why there has to be a question about whether his work is art or not. He creates things that make people think and want to see, so even in the most basic term, his work is art.
Dude was so salty I can taste it through the screen.
No person, group, collective or whatever can ever define "art." A million people can hate it but if it exists, it's art. Mat Gleason DOES sound jealous; every artist is SUPPOSED to promote their work! Why would their work be in galleries then?
Because they cant market and sell it themselves. So they allow someone else to do it. Thats the galleries job. To work with the artist to find its audience and market. Oddly enough...artists are usually awful at it. Introverted and artist are synonymous for a reason.
Bauhaus & Joy Division t-shirts? I like this guy!
He is totally an artist. Street art belongs in the street because once you put it in a gallery you get all these art critics talking about blah blah blah.
I think its a form of art, art is a wide subject
That journalist that said he's far from art is dumb.
Art is defined by the artist.
Is this a small part of a full length documentary? PLEASE people, I NEED answers.
He is an artist, and a graphic designer but above all a communicator.
@ydoiwatchthese Glad you checked it out. "atleast do something" I dont think Shepard has does any murals himself anymore/aswell as his limited posters. - At every spot he's at he got several assistants who does everything.
But in the end its whether you like his shit or not, which depends on every individual and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. :)
btw
BLEK LE RAT 1970*
BANKSY RAT 2003?
Who is the most original vs the most payed?
Love the work. After watching this, I thought I had seen this type of art before. I went and picked up my copy of Orwell's 1984, low and behold, cover work by Shepard Fairey. Anyone who does the artwork to THAT book deserves critical acclaim.
I think his art work is beautiful and i would buy it if i had the money haha.
@ydoiwatchthese
You know what I think?
Banksy's masterpiece is Mr. Brain Wash, who has in some way or another exposed what pop art is lol
He has actually redefined the difference between art and random image montages.
At the moment Shepard is the face of art, I'm sure it will stay that way for a long time
He has real cred. He came from the streets. For me, the repetition of his work has taken away any power the images once had for me. I see his work and I instantly recognize the style and I think, brand, and then I think Target/t-shirt. I know some guys who he's brought up and I love him for that. He's like any other art superbrand these days I guess. A reflection of the vacuous disposable brand conscious culture we are immersed in.
so true
how can fairey's stuff NOT be art!? so much modern art will fulfil most definitions of art but maybe not in 1 or 2 areas. How can that guy gleason say it's not art because it's a brand!? um hello, van gogh's selling for 10s of millions!? people buying fine because it's an investment or to make them look good not because they like it!? welcome to the modern, money obsessed world. Gleason also said art should increase consciousness, this totally does that. plus, it looks amazing.
Not only is he an artist, he's also a genius.
matts probably an artist himself and he's just pissed that he doesn't have an entire exhibit...
It's definitely art, I am really a fan of his work
@RigidSaw
found vallen's article interesting, but fundamentally flawed. The only point i agreed with is fairey should tell people where the images come from to increase awareness of old political issues that he is referencing in the modern world. Fairey's art is about concept, not creating something new with traditional techniques. There is a similarity with warhol there but this stuff for one looks so much better! But also the concept is better. Plus fairey donates a lot of the money he makes.
Yeah, I agree. They're the ones who killed the raw in NY graf art and why you hear all these names being touted as legendary and forget the REAL legends like Dondi [RIP] and Lee, Lady Pink, Duster, Blade, Seen, Tracey... Ladies and Gents like them who cats today will be all like, "Who?"
i love it!
it me, it's art. the main thing i don't see as art would be someone to just video record themselves of just talking and answering questions or singing badly or just ripping up shirts. to me, art is something that you made, that you spend the time on to think of how to get your point across. art is something that makes up my life. i'm throwing you two thumbs up mr. shepard fairey =]
Whats wrong with you people???
Shepard fairey isnt fine art, hes doing the finest art
a very inspiring person, thanks man
fuck! all things are ART!
Just stumbled here doing research for my decision process if i should buy a Shepard Fairey original one-of-a-kind artwork for 10250 Euros.
I would love to know Mat Gleason's definition on art.
He Uses Alot Of The Colors : Black, Gold, And Red
Trade Mark For Him?
Yes :)
The people who where his clothes are a bunch of punk posers. His art is genius though. Love it.
@xpez Its as if someone decided that anti establishment, punk rock, propaganda aesthetic would make a good branding base for products. What if Martha Stewart starting making paint by number posters of PLANTS and gardens Flowers and just used HOME AND GARDEN MAGAZINE PICTURES FOR HER WORK. sure people would enjoy it and want to buy it and thought it was wonderful. but would you consider it important fine art? It's not very radical when you get into the subject matter of the work.
@xpez as for you totally pompous 2nd paragraph, not all people want to approach art in a robotic, intellectual way. Art can inspire real genuine feelings. I think fairey's pictures look amazing, that's enough to make it worthwhile. Also many of them make some kind of political or anti-establishment sentiment. Whether they are copied or not, that point can not be denied.
It's art in my book.
he's so fuckin' perfect!
i just came because of that guy from Alvin and the chipmunks
I call that art more than a lot of other famous "art" pieces.
dudes good
@xpez No he doesn't HAVE to be original, he can be what he wants to be, just as anyone should. Also, he's not asking/demanding that people call him an artist, he describes himself as a "visual communicator," which personally i find a bit pretentious! In terms of the "brand," he has fought a few cases and has won on the fair use law. Some are quite bad copies, i agree. the vast majority for me have been totally changed or an interesting/funny/political point has been made with some change.
The diss on Fairey is not about his art or his imagery or his messages but about the ma$$ production and branding OF his art
Great piece
It takes one to know one. Where-do!
its uncomprehendable how someone could believe its not art...its as simple as this, he painted it right? are paintings not art anymore?
Art = Elite entertainment. That's all.
What is "fine art"?
It seems like "art" has been hijacked by the rich. The definition of art is "The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power." Shepard Fairey does this.
Ok so I watched more and Mat does defend his statement.....But still he sounds jealous.
ART IS LIKE MONEY THAT MAKES MORE INTEREST THEN BANKS TODAY.
IF YOU MAKE SOME THING THAT EVERYONE HAS SOME KIND OF CONECTION
IT WILL SELL LIKE HOT CAKES..
Shepard Fairey used to be good.
But now, I feel like he is just in it for the cash.
OBEY used to be about graffiti and mystery.
Now it's just some clothing company...
i vote masterpiece
definetly art
Art for arts sake
Damn Shepard, your my hero!
I'm 16 i got to art school and working on stencils too..
I love how your idea to shake people awake with your art on the street, now gets this much attention so more people can see your work and open their eyes!
You deserve this!
btw awesome Joy Division T man! ;)
The essence of his artwork: Slogans with no practical action at all
anything can be classified as art. There are all kinds of art, car art, painting, sculpture comics, film, etc... People are confused by semantics. Some people think that in order for something to be "ART" it has to be good. No so. there is plenty of BAD art , crap art, and junk art. The point of contention is that most of this work is communicating IDEAS that have already been talked about in history and art history. This is why the work, in my opinion, isnt very interesting
@ydoiwatchthese
well said mate. Never been a fan of warhol, the pop are thing was kind of a good comment by warhol but that was it, it was pop itself, throw away.
Its 2011comerades lets stop bickering! Everything in life is Art!....Some beautiful, some disturbing, some functional and some destructive! its up to you the viewer to pick your poison! Living=Art!
Who cares if it's not "fine art", it's not intended to be. You can't look at the work of a street artist and think it isn't art because it doesn't conform to your ideas about fine art. Excuse the cliche, but it's literally like comparing apples to oranges. They just aren't the same thing. Excuse the crap out of Fairey for trying to make statements he thinks are important in a public venue, instead of holing up in a loft somewhere smearing paint on a canvas waiting for someone to appreciate it.
I dont have to argue any of your points. EVeryone can enjoy art on their own terms for sure.
I just think pilfering graphics from the past to reinvent them is BORING. That doesnt mean it cant be popular. That doesnt mean its not COOL to some. It doesnt mean people cant enjoy it.. But putting it in the realm with Barbare Kruger, Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, etc is like putting GENE SIMMONS on par with JOHN CAGE....
mat gleason...u mad bro?!!
street artists rule
Is Art.
Shepard is Fucking amazing
P.S.
I hate Mr.Brainwash
Its true, for the most part its all mostly a youth fan base that keeps it going. Its quite a down grade, you see this new generation of teens putting obey on their facebook, putting pictures of them wearing an obey hat saying swag, -___- If my art was appreciated in such a poor way, I would probably just stop making art
Is not art. Is organized vandalism. He should take a class on fresco painting to learn a little about art. His pieces are soooo single minded and straight forward
Art
quick question i know shepard has a lot of messages in his art toward politics but why is obery clothing so expensive isnt that kind of contradicting? and why do people seem to like it more becuase it is fashionable rather then the messages they posses
art! art! art!
@ChuckNoarus yeah but he designs those posters, not just google them
Very banksy inspired, or is banksy inspired by Obey
They are friends, Fairey is featured in Banksys first documentary "Exit through the gift shop".
hes 'bi winning'
whos to judge?
Fine art bores me. I understand the skill thats involved in capturing an image but thats as far as (the majority of) it goes.
Street art reflects a culture... And tells you a whole lot more than the subject itself.
Some fine art is thought provoking... But all street art is.
Like
Of course it is art...the question is, WTF is an art critic??
@castlemaninc are you the head council for the common folk? the art world is doing better than ever. chill out
Of course it's art. Mat Gleason is a hater.
nobody is perfect! nobody is gonna make art that EVERYBODY likes... look at Thiery, MBW... PRIME EXAMPLE lol... if you dont like it. dont look at it!
Plagiarism of the worst kind...come up with something original Shepard. Google: Obey Plagiarist Shepard Fairey, A critique by artist Mark Vallen
invented the Andre sticker. your argument is invalid
So you're less interested in the art itself and more interested in reason he's doing it? Am I understanding that correctly? The art was great until he figured out he could make money off it, even though it's the same kind of art?
exactly ^^^^
Ars Gratia Artis
@ydoiwatchthese dude. Search for 'Disobey duh fairey' and tell me again that shepard isnt THE plagiat artist ever existed even worse than WARHOL.
im so pissed ppl compare some artists like this guy to andy warhol. warhol was the biggest joke of an artist to ever be on the world. yes he pushed boundaries and what not but all he did was take a picture, anyone can do that, and put color on it. aka a joke. my opinion not yours. get mad about it idc.
RISD
Not. Tracing photographs.
who let Mark Ecko’s kid brother do flat paper mache with newspaper & cheap Banksy knock off stencils?
LOL :28
@aefkjj smoke a bowl mate
sold out
@LKeet6 So he doesnt have to be original and can take what he pleases and mix and match political heroes and straight rip off other logos to make his own brand....OK...
Only uneducated people would appreciate this nonsense. And to somehow classify it in some kind of postmodern category only furthers the illusion of something intellectual going on.
.. how much have you made on art lately? .. pretty sure sheppard fairy has made more than you. how do you define an artist?
this bull shit aint art!!!
+albert speer please get me out of my darkness, FINALLY!! someone who apparently knows what art really is...please enlighten me...
albert speer lol...and that makes you the trend setter? thats fine man, everyone has their own opinion, hate it like it whatever this crap doesn't put food in my table...
+albert speer If it's visually appealing to someone, who are you to say it isn't art? Art is subjective.
this is most defiantly art but Is up to you to decide if it's good or not
+albert speer plz tell me what is.
ive been teaching art for almost 20 years and its this kind of mentality that holds kids back from trying to create.
art is creating. i dont give a fuck how you do it....if you trace or project an image....making something with your hands is art.
we dont need these kind of boundaries holding anyone back. got it?
ehh....1 trick pony...
Art
Art
Art
Art