Welcome to the audio guide of "OBEY: The Art of Shepard Fairey"
This audioguide will accompany you in discovering the exhibition through curiosities, news and insights into the works on display.
Follow the order of the tracks or choose a section of the exhibition to listen to the audio guide with a click.
Alternatively, you can listen to a short guide of 15 minutes that you will find under the map.
Welcome to the exhibition “OBEY: The Art of Shepard Fairey”, at the Fabbrica del Vapore in Milan.
You are inside the first exhibition in Italy dedicated to Shepard Fairey, aka OBEY, one of the most influential and acclaimed street artists in the world.
Who is Shepard Fairey, the artist behind the pseudonym OBEY?
He was born on February 15, 1970 in Charleston, South Carolina, United States.
His interest in art and creativity was present since childhood, so after high school, Obey continued his studies at the Rhode Island School of Design, one of the most prestigious art institutions in the United States.
For Obey, the sticker is a fundamental step in his journey, first personal and then artistic.
It was 1984 when his attention was captured by stickers linked to the world of skateboarding and punk rock.
In that period, those small works of art represented a sign of belonging to an alternative and rebellious culture, allowing one to express one’s identity even in a context devoid of graffiti and urban art.
The work, Gears of Justice, represents one of the distinctive elements of Obey’s work: the star.
The artist created his “Star Gear” in the late nineties as a motif to be used recurrently in his works in the constructivist and industrial style, as well as an easily applicable stencil on the streets, associating his image with the gear for its symbolic significance.
“Rise Above Cop” addresses a topic that is close to the artist’s heart, namely the excessive violence used by the police and law enforcement in the United States of America.
The work “Printing Press” is a clear reference to the tradition of printing and its influence in the dissemination of culture and art. Obey considers printing as the beginning of the democratization of art and is fundamental in his artistic production.
You are in the room dedicated to the theme of PROPAGANDA.
Here one of the most important contemporary figures of our time immediately catches the eye: it is the former president of the United States of America, Barack Obama, the protagonist of the famous Obey poster with the writing HOPE, Hope.
Obey stands out for its artistic practice that directly engages with commercial advertising, through a reinterpretation of advertising slogans.
A significant example of this practice is represented by the work YOUR AD HERE.
With this work entitled Conformity Factory, Obey invites us to ask ourselves some fundamental questions: who is in command of the “conformity factory”?
You are in front of the wall that collects works created by Obey with the “Rubylith” technique.
This technique consists of using a transparent red film, ruby colored, applied on a transparent base.
In this video – Facing The Giant: Three Decades of Dissent – you can see the story of the project launched in collaboration with Juxtapoz Mag, filmed and produced by Chop ’em Down Films.
You are inside the central square, looking down at your feet you will see a large mandala.
You are in a privileged position: from here your gaze is free to explore different directions of the entire exhibition layout.
Obey’s aesthetic has always aimed to reach audiences on a large scale and outside of traditional art spaces.
Using murals, posters, stickers and stencils, the artist takes his messages directly to the streets, making art accessible to many.
In “Make Art Not War” Obey combines his unmistakable graphic style with a powerful message of peace.
You are in front of the work “Defend Dignity” that Obey imagined in 2017 in collaboration with photographer Arlene Mejorado, for the famous campaign “We The People”.
You are standing before Obey’s work entitled “Barbwire Dove”, a powerful symbol of peace and resistance.
Obey has portrayed many iconic figures related to this theme: among these characters stand out Angela Davis, Desmond Tutu and Muhammad Ali.
On the opposite wall you can find a series of works linked by a common thread: to pay homage to those who fought for their rights.
You may not know it, but Obey would not be the artist he has become without the music that has accompanied him since his childhood.
He himself says: “I have been an avid music listener and record collector since I was a child and I have been a DJ for almost 20 years. I listen to music constantly and the songs I listen to often inspire my art. I can’t imagine life without music”.
Obey’s Joe Strummer artwork is a vibrant tribute to one of his musical heroes.
Joe Strummer, the celebrated frontman of The Clash, embodies not only rebellious music, but also profound ideals and a staunch opposition to social injustice.
Obey ha creato un’opera dedicata a Bob Marley basandosi su una fotografia di Dennis Morris.
Il suo interesse per Bob Marley risale alla sua adolescenza quando acquistò l’album “Rastaman Vibrations” poco dopo aver scoperto che uno dei suoi primi skatepark, era soprannominato “The Rasta Ramp”.
Obey considers Chuck D, founder and leader of Public Enemy, a hero for his powerful and incisive voice in the social and political field.
Chuck D’s lyrics are known for addressing power with sincerity and criticism, opening new paths in music, that few dare to tread.
On this wall you can find Obey’s Album Covers.
This series is an exploration, guided by the artist himself, within the artistic and musical panorama that has shaped his imagination.
Do you like music?
Then scan the QR code to discover the playlist that Obey has created for its 50th anniversary.
Obey pays homage to music not only in his music-themed works, but also uses it as a muse to address issues dear to him, such as environmental protection.
“Paint it Black”, a famous song by the Rolling Stones, is reinterpreted by the street artist, borrowing the title and spirit of the song.
The work “Natural Springs Bird, Version 2” features a beautiful bird with distinctive red plumage within a bright and vibrant scene, a symbol of a species that is heading towards a worrying fate.
You are looking at the work “Paradise Turn”, inspired by the artist from old photos, taken from the beaches of Playa Del Rey and Long Beach, where oil drilling towers are clearly visible, showing the negative impact of these structures on the environment and human health.
Inside the exhibition you are visiting there are two very interesting works.
They are “Earth Crisis” and “A Delicate Balance”, both inspired by the installation designed by Obey in Paris on the occasion of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in 2015, known as COP twenty-one.
In the exhibition room where you are now, there are works from the artist’s most recent production.
In these works, the geometric shapes and minimal palette of red, black and beige used by the artist at his debut are replaced by more complex compositions and warmer colors.
You are in front of one of the latest works created by Obey, part of the cycle entitled “Modular Discourse”.
In this series the artist retraces themes and subjects already covered but here addressed with a new graphic guise, both on paper, as in the works set up on this wall, and on wood, as in the works that you will encounter later in the exhibition.
You are in front of the work titled by Obey “Swan Song”, a commentary on the delicate balance of nature.
The image denounces the unruliness of some companies that continue to put profit before the health of the planet.
Flowers are a recurring subject in Obey’s work, symbols of positive growth and harmony.
The work titled “While Supplies Last” features three large tulips on six wooden panels, following a modular method for both practical and conceptual reasons.
It has been an incredible journey, discovering Obey.
This artist continues to leave an indelible mark on the contemporary art scene, stimulating critical reflection and inviting people to examine the complexities of the modern world through art and activism.
This audioguide is a project by Artuu Lab. For exhibition’s info obeymilano@
Artwork Pics: Courtesy Artist ObeyGiant.com _ Photographer Jon Furlong
Installation view: Emanuele Scilleri