ART IS NOT A CRIME

THE ELECTION POSTER FOR HOPE by Shepard Fairey

A creative leap for election posters and one that ended up in the Smithsonian!

WHAT'S ALL THE FUSS ABOUT!! First let me point out that this AP photo is not a good photo of candidate Obama, he is hunched over and looking quite bored. It took the eye of an artist to straighten up the shot, change the background and come up with a very creative yet simple color process that makes this "illustration" look heroic and arty enough to arouse the interest of a nation. I did not see many people wanting or buying a print of the AP photograph to hang in their houses or post on walls all around the nation.

The addition of the word HOPE is really where Shepard took it all to another level. Using his signature style "the big word at the bottom" like so many of his previous posters, Shepard made this a new "Image" and gave the nation a rallying call to all Democrats and Independents across the country.

Artists have appropriated images for use in their art for ages, the mere fact that Fairey has redrawn this image is change enough to take it away from the Photo copyright. If he would have used the tried and true "Warhollian" technique of adding color over a contrasty and grainy photo image of the photograph that could have been cause for concern. But what we have here is a redrawn, colored and fixed up new art piece, a painting. ART! Art is not a crime!

And then the AP goes and threatens to sue over a drawing of what they say is their copyrighted photo! Well last week I ran across another image of Obama and I'll be damned, it looks just like the AP Photo.... but it is not!

Taken by another photographer in another situation (check the background) but looking just like the original pose. I guess the second photographer must have copied the first AP photo. Or maybe Shepard used the second shot for his "artistic reference" to get the now famous and Heroic Leader pose so prevalent in the HOPE Poster! Take a look below and compare this with the AP Photo above!

Let me know what you think!

Late, theFunk

WHAT I FOUND this week

WORKING ON A RED THEME

Just a couple of FUN guys I ran across down the street! Black cats and devils! This update "Found Today" is always about showcasing things I find online while I am searching for reference materials and taking care of day to day biz. I thought these guys seem to be having fun!

Running down a red theme here are some great Flames and pin stripping stolen from the Juxtapoz site. Hod Rods and Pin Stripes some of my earliest memories!

Here's a great red "Vargas" from our friends at The Matador Alcove in Costa Mesa.

Alberto Vargas is the King of the Pin-Up and very collectable! He was a main contributor at Playboy in the early days (50's ,60's, and 70's )and has always depicted women in fun and unusual poses as well as capturing their best assets, pun intended!

Late,•theFunk

KNOW YOUR ICONS

NEW ILLUSTRATIVE PORTRAITS by Mofo

Great new stylized portraits of your favorite Icons and celebrities by that scoundrel Mofo. Printed on Canvas and ready to frame. We are handling all sales and commissioned work for Mofo now through Preferred Graphics.
Over 45 different face to see! Check them out! Bono above

James Dean always the Icon of Rebellion!

Elvis lives on! In this cool take of an Idol Portrait from the early movie days.

Late, •theFunk

If you have any questions they are available through Preferred Graphics our custom frame shop and art gallery in Costa Mesa. More great Images to see! www.preferredgraphics.net

GIANT 4 SALE

EARLY OBEY GIANT PRINTS by Shepard Fairey

Here we have some early prints from our Obey collection. "Nixon" part of a series of black over-prints on red design collages that Shepard was experimenting with. Others in this series include Mao and Lenin. This first attempt at over-printing led to another series of money inspired portraits with the same three Nixon, Lenin ad Mao. It was just at this time that the named switched from Giant or Obey Giant to just "Obey" as everyone knows it now. Early print get it here for sale $375.00!

About the same period Shepard got into Chinese style propaganda. He produced three of these banner style red and paper prints. We have two of three, and the last one is hard to find these days. Earlier in the Giant days, Shepard was influenced by Soviet style propaganda which in turn led to these Chinese inspired prints.

Another outstanding period in Shepard's career. This is entitled "Playboy" and features some earlier collage work as well as the rip & tear style that preceded all the punk influenced prints of the Sex pistols and Sid Vicious. Great style, get it here!

late, •theFunk

ART OPENING - Lorin Fleming

JOIN LORIN FOR "WEST COAST COOL"
Lori Fleming has a new Art show this weekend at "Sunsets" Capo Beach.
Check below for some examples and descriptions. Come and see the show!
Hope to see you there! theFunk

NEW NOSTALGIC SURF By Lorin Fleming

Surfing in the Era before Hollywood, Gidget and Branding. Casual, Candid and Sepia for the nostalgic in us all. Lorin is at his easel with brush in hand mining the California and Hawaiian surf scene, luring us all back to a simpler time when men were boys and surfing all day was what it was all about!

New Commissions wanted, Picture your dream?

Think back, over all the good times "On the Road" with your pals!
Did you almost get caught? I can't count the times.

Hope you like them and if you have any questions they are available through Preferred Graphics our custom frame shop and art gallery in Costa Mesa.
More great Images to see! www.preferredgraphics.net

Moondoggie, after a surf, love it

Late, theFunk

ART X FRIENDS

VAN HAM OPENING
John Van Hamersveld new art show will be "Waterworks" opening at the South Laguna Ritz Carlton in lobby from March 6th to the 14th. John is a longtime friend from the Gotcha days and is continually producing outstanding and color graphic Posters and Serigraphs.

We just happen to have a great collection of old and new works from the famous "Endless Summer" to more recent editions of classics like the new colorway above of the timeless "Jimi Hendrix." seen above.

Last year John produced this new edition from his vintage poster for the Cream's Reunion Concerts at The Royal Albert hall in London and Madison Square Garden in New York.

"Johnny Boy" or "It's a Crazy World Ain't It" lifted from a famous 70's t shirt John made back then and recently up scaled to this fabulous Serigraph we purchased just last year.
The crazy tees have been worn by all, from Mick of the Rolling Stones to more recent guitar hero John Mayer. One of my all time favorites!

The Classic Absolute Poster (multi-dimensional) art piece done for the Absolute Vodka Campaigns back in the mid eighties.
Preferred Graphics carry's a big selection of John's work spanning the years. Come on in and take a look at his colorful graphic "Pop Art" classics and hang one on your wall.

late, •theFunk