Shepard Fairey a Plagiarist?

Shepard Fairey, left, with Derick Swinfard of Monster Media Inc. Who donated the billboard printing
image via obey website

Shepard Fairey a plagiarist? It breaks my heart to think that Fairey, the mind behind the bold expropriations of revolutionary posters also known as the "Obey" campaign, is nothing more than a copy cat. Fairey has earned the respect from both graffiti artists and museum curators. He recently extended his reach with the popular Obama "Hope" posters which has put him directly in the heat of the Democratic presidential bid. Art for a Change run by Mark Vallen, makes an angry argument that Fairey is a low-life, no-life plagiarist but provides side-by-side comparisons of unmistakable similarities. (below are a select few)

My graphic designer friend defends him by saying that Fairey's critique of propaganda is making iconic images ironic. I can understand that the "Guns and Roses" poster changes the message of the Chinese revolutionary poster to play upon the idea of peaceful rebellion. But the direct copy of Ver Sacrum, the front cover illustration for Vienna Secession magazine, for a Obey poster is much harder to justify. My friend further argues that remixes and hip hop samples are no different than what Shepard Fairey is doing with the posters. I have to say when I found out that my favorite DJ Shadow sets or RJD2 tracks have used famous old jazz and funk samples not always giving the original artist credit, I felt a little bit betrayed by their talents. Then again they are the ones that inject new life into old classics allowing more people to appreciate the music. My friend also points out that in rap it is common that people use other people's music and lyrics. In this case Fairey has not only cultivated a love and appreciation for vintage posters and critical thought, but has also built a brand identity that is now a successful business. It is the responsibility of the artist to credit their sources in their published books, even more so for Fairey if he wants to teach his fans to respect the history and the gains of revolutionary arts.

I can't imagine a world where intellectual property is so rigid and everyone sues each each other for not coming up with an original idea. Plus it would hurt the people it intends to protect the most, which are young artists and designers. Not only would it be very hard to define what is original but also to regulate. Is is copying or improving? Borrowing or plagiarism? If we understand hip-hop's steal n' borrow culture as a creative process, which isn't much different from fashion, can we view the Obey campaign as a reflection of its street roots and culture?



left: One Big Union - Ralph "Bingo" Chaplin. 1917. Artwork created for the Industrial Workers of the World. Right Obey T-shirt

Left:Untitled Silk-screen poster - Rene Mederos, Cuba, 1972. This double portrait by one of Cuba’s most famous poster artists depicts the revolutionaries Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos. Right: Obey T-shirt

Ver Sacrum - Koloman Moser 1901. Front cover illustration for the Vienna Secession magazine, Ver Sacrum, overlay on the Obey poster

Left: Still from director Michael Anderson’s 1956 film adaptation of George Orwell’s cautionary story of a dystopic future, 1984. Right: Obey Poster

Left:Political power comes from the barrel of a gun - Artist unknown. 1968. Chinese poster from the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution period. Right: Obey poster

Right: Obey poster, Greetings from Iraq, printed in 2005. Right: Ranger Naturalist Service: Yellowstone National Park - Artist unknown. Silkscreen. Circa late 1930s

Left: Liberate Puerto Rico Now! - Young Lords Party. Silkscreen poster. 1971. Right: Obey poster

Diana Jou