Comments on: Painting in a President: Shepard Fairey and the Art of an Election

By: haloxyl eye serum

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By: e!

e! — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 05:29:23 +0000

what about the cornfed beef thats killing us–we need a shep to do a where’s the beef campaign–come on people! Where’s the beef?! The real beef! Beef beef beef

By: jdh

jdh — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:11:11 +0000

In this world of disposable imagery…frankly i am exhausted with the whole Obama/Messianic Fairey painting…NEXT PLEASE…Did someone say let’s promote more vital issues at hand…like health care…global warming…AIDS…hunger…poverty…jobs…Who really gives a F$%K about Obama’s face anymore…I am part of the progressive wave of people who voted Obama in…NOW it’s time to get to work on new art dealing with the issues of the campaign.

By: jrwolf

jrwolf — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:10:00 +0000

If you feel compelled to use that many exclamations, who's the one who needs to lighten up?

By: Ray Burns

Ray Burns — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:55:04 +0000

jrwolf… LIGHTEN UP, D*CKBAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: jrwolf

jrwolf — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:28:46 +0000

You make a valid point Chris O, and appear to have made a far more "rational…interpretation" overall than "LiberalDude", who I fear is incapable of making such a leap (in him I don't have faith). I'm still a cynic when it comes to politics, and that's my cross to bear, even in a time when Fairey's work is meant to rise above such cynicism. However, in his interview, Fairey remarked that "We don’t need to put Obama on a pedestal anymore. Now we need to, as artists…tackle the issues we care about.” To that I say bravo. In the end Chris O, yes, we should have that faith you speak of, and Fairey's paintings were a call to action … BUT, I have no faith that those people who voted for Obama based on their love of Fairey's "call" are capable of making rational interpretations. That's not hope, nor an act for positive change; that's a love of celebrity.

By: Chris O

Chris O — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 14:45:39 +0000

Jrwolf- don’t we have to have some faith that the art’s viewer will make rational personal interpretations of the pieces and, therefore, not castigate the artist or his work? Ultimately, these pieces are a call to action and that response is going to be driven by one’s social outlook.

By: jrwolf

jrwolf — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 18:47:57 +0000

I won't deny that Fairey's efforts did a lot for the celebrity of Obama and (possibly) played a role in his election, but are we saying the ends justify the means? How can we as liberals justify resorting to brainwashing tactics similar to those employed by conservative meatheads? I do think Fairey's work is potentially dangerous because I consider it political propaganda, not art, and it's when the two get confused that the danger rears its head. I mean look at it. Move a few lines and shadows around and you can almost see Stalin; Fairey's work is damn close to Neo-Social Realism, and I firmly believe that any well-minded liberal (whether you agree with me or not) does not want that end. Oh, and "LiberalDude," if that's your real name, let's not resort to pulling certain statements out of context then maligning that person on false grounds – that would be awfully, uh, Beck/Limbaugh/Palin-esque of you.

By: LiberalDude

LiberalDude — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 05:48:31 +0000

jrwolf- You're obviously an imposter. No Obama supporter would make such dumb, blanket statements like "art is dangerous". Go back to your Glenn Beck/Rush Limbaugh/Sarah Palin/conservative crap (which is true propaganda and brainwashing) and leave us alone. Your not fooling anyone. No one believes that you're progressive or an Obama supporter. True liberals/progressives support Shepard Fairey and his efforts to make this world a better place to live.

By: jrwolf

jrwolf — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:05:18 +0000

I know this won't be a widely shared opinion (prefaced with: I'm a staunch Obama supporter and a life-long progressive), but I think this art is dangerous and that Fairey is largely unaware of the cosmic joke he's perpetuating. His "Hope" posters and the like are updated versions of social realist, cult-of-personality propaganda that if not held in check will be looked back on as representing an unfortunate period in contemporary art. In fact, I don't consider this art at all. Some people seem determined to turn Fairey into some 21st-century version of a WPA hero. I have my grave doubts about this, but for the sake of Obama, our democracy and our national integrity, I hope I'm wrong.