In early August, Shepard Fairey was in Copenhagen putting up murals all over the city (covered here and here) in preparation for his solo exhibit, Your Ad Here, which opened in on August 5th. His works were full of peace symbols like doves, elephants and roses, but they were not received that way by the Copenhagen audience. Apparently, due to some local politics, the murals were interpreted as offensive. Fairey explained the situation like this:
The mural location in question had a controversial history of clash between the city and the supporters and inhabitants of the Youth House formerly located there. In spite of efforts by myself, my gallery, and the Youth House, to correct the record, media outlets continued to perpetuate the misconception that I had been hired or at least prompted by the city to create my mural at the former Youth House location.
Well, that misconception, as he puts it, got a bit carried away. The murals were defaced and riots were held by their side. Now, Fairey has released a statement on the event, defending his view of things. His words shed a lot of light on the situation in Copenhagen and Fairey’s view of street art as a method of expression. He even calls it “one of the most democratic, accessible, empowering, and inspiring art forms there is.” Read his full account here.
You might also like
More from News
BROOKLYN’S FINEST: LEGENDS IN FOCUS! Feb. 4th – Brooklyn, NY
Letter from RESPECT. Founder I’m honored to curate along with longtime collaborator, Datwon Thomas, "Brooklyn’s Finest: Legends in Focus" — a …
A Great Night In Hip-Hop. Paying Tribute to Hip-Hop’s Most Iconic Photo at Fotografiska NY
Please join XXL veteran journalists and contributors on May 9, 2023 — Sheena Lester, Datwon Thomas, Bonsu Thompson, Larry Hester, …
SLAUGHTERHOUSE Exclusive! Throwback to The Movement!
RESPECT. Exclusive! Assassination Day! Shady Records’ Slaughterhouse Counts down to The Release of Welcome to Our House. [Straight From The Crate...Originally Captured for RESPECT. …
