Shepard Fairey (OBEY)
(CHANGER PHOTO ATTENTE PG)Lesser Gods Lenin
2019
Typography
104.1 × 76.2 cm
Ed. 71/89
Location: Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France
About the artwork
The portrait of Lenin, seen in profile and overlooking the famous star symbolizing OBEY, is here surrounded by linear motifs curving and squaring the two-color sheet. Taking up the emblematic "In god we trust" slogan of the American dollar, Shepard Fairey reuses the aesthetic codes of paper money.
Expert opinion
This work, characteristic of the artist's plural struggles, bears witness to Shepard Fairey's political commitment. He doesn't hesitate to use the figure of the inventor of the totalitarian regime as a propaganda poster to get his message across.
About the artist
American artist, born in 1970. Lives and works in Los Angeles (USA). Muralist, illustrator and silkscreen artist, Shepard Fairey (Obey) is one of the most influential figures in urban art. Influenced by Andy Warhol, Barbara Kruger and Diego Rivera, he is best known for the HOPE portrait of Barack Obama he created for his presidential campaign in 2008, which has since been acquired by the National Portrait Gallery (Washington, USA). Following the attacks in France on November 13, 2015, Shepard Fairey created a Marianne with the motto "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité", a work that has now become a national symbol and is on display at the Élysée Palace. In 2019, he will create his hundredth fresco at Place Igor Stravinsky in Paris, next to the Centre Pompidou. Internationally renowned, Shepard Fairey can be found in the collections of the Smithsonian (Washington, USA), the Museum of Modern Art (New York, USA) and the Victoria and Albert Museum (London, UK). He has also exhibited in prestigious venues such as the Fondation Cartier for the "Né dans la rue - Graffiti" exhibition in 2009, and the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston (USA), where his retrospective "Supply & Demand" was organized in 2009.
“Propaganda has a bad reputation, which it partly deserves, but I think some propaganda is very positive. I think if you can do something that grabs people's attention, they'll probably go and find out more about you.”
Additional info
Signed
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