Shepard Fairey Mural Review

Shepard Fairey is the most iconic figure in contemporary street art. Best known for his work on  Barack Obama’s 2008 “Hope” campaign poster and his Andre The Giant murals, Fairey has been making public art since 1984.

Fairey recently designed a mural near the Lake Shore Drive viaduct on Grand Avenue for the Navy Pier Walk exhibition.  The mural is a series of twelve posters that bear a resemblance to  album covers. The posters are printed on standard copy paper and were applied to the surface of the viaduct with standard wallpaper glue. 

Fairey has his roots in the 1970’s and early 80’s punk movement and draws upon 70‘s iconography in much his work. Given his roots in the early 1970’s and early 80’s punk movement, it isn’t surprising that Fairey would use images and iconography that recall one of the most reactionary periods in art and American history in his mural. Whether it depicts a military plane dropping records over a foreign continent, a snarling panther, or a burning phonograph, each record cover that makes up the mural reflects a different aspect of 70’s and 80’s culture and the impact that art, music, and free speech has on our lives. 

The poster farthest to the right details a skull wearing a viking helmet and dagger between its teeth is reminiscent of the dangerous imagery that  punk and heavy metal acts portrayed during the 70's and represents the rebellious spirit that bands like Mötorhead and The Ramones championed in their music.

 Further down to the left the words "power and equality" are emblazoned above the face of an African American woman, a reference to the Black Power movement of the 1970's and socially-conscious hip-hop movement of the 80’s. Fairey is a self-confessed Public Enemy fanatic and this part of the mural reflects the ideals he shares with Chuck D and the gang.

 The left-most poster has an advertisement-like look to it and ties together the entire mural. It features a megaphone plugged into an amplifier boasting that you will be able to "protect free speech over great distances" and urging the viewer to amplify their voice. 

 

Like his street art contemporary Banksy, Fairey’s work carries a strong political message. 

However, Banksy uses humor and subversive imagery to convey his political message, while Fairey’s work is much more subtle. The purpose is to make anyone who views his art question what they are looking at and in turn, the world that surrounds them. 

Fairey borrowed the iconography from these different art and social movements and incorporated them into his mural to remind people that in the face of insurmountable odds, it is still possible to make sure your voice is heard. Fairey seeks to remind people that by speaking out, they can make as much of an impact on the world as the punks of the 70s or the Black Panthers of the 60s. 

Fairey’s medium is as much a part of the message as the piece itself. The fact that this mural is hanging on an aqueduct on one of the busiest streets in Chicago, rather than hanging in a gallery somewhere adds a whole different dimension to the piece. Fairey’s work and the message it spreads reaches a much broader and diverse audience hanging on the side of the street, rather than preaching to the converted at an Obey gallery show. Fairey’s mural is a welcome and thought-provoking addition to Chicago’s cityscape.

 

The fact that this mural is hanging on an aqueduct on one of the busiest streets in Chicago, rather than hanging in a gallery somewhere adds a whole different dimension to the piece. Fairey’s work and the message it spreads reaches a much broader and diverse audience hanging on the side of the street, rather than preaching to the converted at an Obey gallery show. Fairey’s mural is a welcome and thought-provoking addition to Chicago’s cityscape.