Shepard Fairey's #Obey Exhibition at Palazzo delle Arti Naples Explores Street Art in Institutional Context
The '#Obey' exhibition by Shepard Fairey took place at Palazzo delle Arti Naples (PAN) from December 6, 2014, to February 28, 2015. This retrospective showcased his journey from political art to widely recognized works. Between 1997 and 1998, he produced satirical images of historical figures such as Stalin, Mao, and Lenin, accompanied by the 'Obey' logo. His 2000 artwork 'Marylin Warhol' paid homage to Andy Warhol, while politically motivated pieces included 'Nixon Money, Mao Money, Lenin Money' (2003) and 'Malcolm X' (2006). Fairey rose to prominence with his Barack Obama portrait during the 2008 election, which is now part of the National Portrait Gallery. The exhibition also displayed mixed media collages like 'Eye Alert Cream' (2010), with his works challenging conventional art norms and residing in numerous private Italian collections.
Key facts
- Shepard Fairey's exhibition '#Obey' ran from December 6, 2014 to February 28, 2015 at Palazzo delle Arti Naples (PAN) in Italy.
- The show traced Fairey's stylistic development from early political works in the late 1990s to internationally recognized pieces like his Barack Obama image from 2008.
- Fairey's 2008 Obama advertising image was acquired by the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.
- In 2009, Fairey created decorative red images of Angela Davis, Arab revolutionaries, and St. Mark's Horses for a show in Venice.
- The exhibition included mixed media collages 'Eye Alert Cream' and 'Eye Alert Red' from 2010, featuring faces with symbolic elements like a dollar sign and skull.
- Critic David Carrier and Joachim Pissarro coined the term 'wild art' in their 2013 book 'Wild Art' published by Phaidon Press, referring to art presented outside the traditional art world system.
- Palazzo delle Arti is located in Chiaja, an upscale neighborhood in Naples with minimal street art, unlike other parts of the city.
- Fairey's art has entered many private Italian collections, as highlighted in the exhibition catalogue.
Entities
Artists
- Shepard Fairey
- Joachim Pissarro
- Andy Warhol
- Marilyn Monroe
- Malcolm X
- Angela Davis
- Barack Obama
- Stalin
- Mao
- Lenin
- David Carrier
Institutions
- Palazzo delle Arti Naples (PAN)
- National Portrait Gallery
- Phaidon Press
- artcritical
Locations
- Naples
- Italy
- Venice
- Washington, D.C.
- United States
- Chiaja