SHEPARD FAIREY RESPONSIBLE DELINQUENT

PORTLAND

A BRIEF HISTORY OF APPROPRIATION

“Appropriation” refers to the artistic practice of creating a new work of art by using a real object or even an existing work of art. The practice can be tracked back to the Cubistcollages and constructions of Picasso and Georges Braque made from 1912 on, in which real objects such as newspapers were included in the work to represent themselves.

1912, Composition with Fruit, Guitar and Glass, Pablo PicassoTATE GLOSSARY: Appropriation

1917, Marcel DuchampFOUNTAIN

1958, Jasper JohnsFLAG

1962, Andy Warhol, Photograph by Gene KormanMARILYN MONROE

2010, BanksyI LOVENEW YORK

I was teaching a friend how to make stencils, and I looked for a picture to use in the newspa-per, and there just happened to be an ad for wrestling with Andre The Giant. I told him that he should make a stencil of it. He said ‘Nah, I’m not making a stencil of that, that’s stupid!” But I thought it was funny so I made the stencil and I made a few stickers…”

“IN THE SUMMER OF 1989…

©1989 Titan Sports, Inc.FORMAT MAGAZINE, January 2008 (1)

In 1994, Titan Sports, Inc, (which would become World Wrestling Entertainment) threatened to sue Fairey for using the trademarked name “André the Giant.” Fairey stopped using the name, but created this iconic image using the stecil style from his street art. He also added the deliber-ately antiauthoritarian order, “OBEY.” This would become Fairey’s brand.

©1994 Shepard FaireyINTERNATIONAL TATTOO MAGAZINE, March 1999 (3)

“The things I see around me are the base of my work, and as I get bored of one thing, my scope changes. I’m a very visual person. I’ll see all this communist propaganda with its message and the power behind it. I’ll force myself to find out motivation and theinspiration for the art. I read about it, also, because I don’t want to seem like a dumb ass not knowing what I’m borrowing from or inspired by.”

INSPIRATION & APPROPRIATION

2006, Street Art by Shepard FaireyINTERNATIONAL TATTOO MAGAZINE, March 1999 (3)

©1999 Shepard FaireyHAND TORN COLLAGE OF SCREENPRINTS ON PAPER, UNIQUE

©2003 Shepard FaireyMAO COLLAGE

©1999 Shepard FaireyANKARA BLACK

©2006 Shepard FaireyRISE ABOVE COP

©2007 Shepard FaireyGIANT VS GIANT

©2007 Shepard FaireyPRESIDENTIAL SEAL

©2006 Shepard FaireyM16 VS AK47

©2004 Shepard FaireyMR. SPRAY

©2005 Shepard FaireyMUSLIM WOMAN

COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT VS FAIR USE

In 2007, Shephard Fairey was approached by publisist Yosi Sergant about creating a piece for the presidential campaign of Barack Obama. Fairey found a photograph of the candidate using Google Image Search and created the original poster design in a single day. It was eventually revealed that the photo was taken by freelance photographer Mannie Garcia for The Associated Press.

©2008 Shepard FaireyHUFFINGTON POST, October 2008 (12)

In 2009, the Associated Press announced that it determined “that the photograph used in the poster is an AP photo and that its use required permis-sion” and filed a lawsuit. Shephard’s attourney re-sponded by saying that “fair use protects Shepard's right” to create this kind of image, and counter-sued for protection. In January 2011, the AP and Shepard Fairey settled out of court.

©2008 Mannie Garcia/Associated PressNEW YORK TIMES, February 2009 (17)

BBC NEWS, February 2009 (16)

©2010 Martha Cooper