Shepard Fairey's "Filthy Lucre Ain't Nothing New" at CART Department, New York
From September 24 to 27, 2026, Shepard Fairey showcased "Filthy Lucre Ain't Nothing New," a four-day exhibition at the CART Department located at 16 Morton Street, New York. The event featured a 1937 Packard touring sedan embellished with metallic-gold stencils and portraits, in addition to new mixed-media pieces and prints. In a discussion with Carlo McCormick, Fairey explored the concept of punk's "free space" and the impact of hip-hop, mentioning artists such as Run-DMC and Public Enemy. The Packard’s design juxtaposes punk's skepticism towards money with hip-hop's narrative on wealth. Collector Larry Warsh commissioned the vehicle for a collection of over 70 art cars. Fairey, who utilized Illustrator to design the car, incorporated portraits of key musicians and voiced concerns about subcultures in the social media era.
Key facts
- Shepard Fairey's "Filthy Lucre Ain't Nothing New" ran September 24–27, 2026, at CART Department, 16 Morton Street, New York.
- The exhibition centered on a 1937 Packard touring sedan covered in metallic-gold stencils, portraits, patterns, and punk/hip-hop lyrics.
- Collector Larry Warsh commissioned the Packard for a collection of over 70 art cars including works by Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf, Barbara Kruger, Ai Weiwei, Damien Hirst, Marina Abramović, Rashid Johnson, and Richard Prince.
- Fairey said he had never painted a car before; the process involved Illustrator mapping, vinyl stencils, chrome masking, and metallic gold built up before a clear finish.
- Portraits of Ice-T, Ian MacKaye, Jello Biafra, Joe Strummer, Chuck D, and Bad Brains were shown, some based on photographs by Glen E. Friedman.
- Carlo McCormick included Fairey in his first New York exhibition in 1994 at Bard and Alleged Gallery on Ludlow Street.
- Fairey expressed concern that subcultures no longer have enough darkness and time to mutate before social media demands measurable approval.
- The car's bumpers read NOWHERE at the front and EMPIRE at the rear, referencing Jamie Reid and the Sex Pistols.
Entities
Artists
- Shepard Fairey
- Ian MacKaye
- Carlo McCormick
- Joe Strummer
- Chuck D
- Jello Biafra
- H.R.
- Ice-T
- Slick Rick
- Rakim
- KRS-One
- Biggie
- The Notorious B.I.G.
- Run-DMC
- Beastie Boys
- Public Enemy
- Eric B.
- Jamie Reid
- Larry Warsh
- Keith Haring
- Kenny Scharf
- Barbara Kruger
- Ai Weiwei
- Damien Hirst
- Marina Abramović
- Rashid Johnson
- Richard Prince
- Glen E. Friedman
- Fab 5 Freddy
- Blondie
- The Clash
- Grandmaster Flash
- Willie Williams
- Edward Tudor-Pole
- Jaime Rojo
- Steven P. Harrington
- Martha Cooper
- Bad Brains
- Dead Kennedys
- Sex Pistols
- Fugazi
- Minor Threat
- Boogie Down Productions
- Wu-Tang Clan
- Operation Ivy
Institutions
- CART Department
- OBEY
- Bard
- Alleged Gallery
- Brooklyn Street Art
Locations
- New York
- United States
- South Carolina
- London
- United Kingdom
- Washington, D.C.
- Morton Street
- Ludlow Street
- Berlin
- Germany
- Penelles
- Spain
- Hong Kong
- China