Shepard Fairey, the author of "Hope", the election campaign of Barack Obama, will be on display at the Palazzo delle Arti in Naples
You remember the electoral campaign of Barack Obama? The four-color stylized face of the current president of the United States appeared in a poster superimposed on the terms Hope (hope), Change(change) e Progress (progress) which in 2008 went around the world, becoming a true icon of both the "Obama character" and the style of Shepard Fairey, author of the campaign.
From the 6 December 2014 to the 28 February 2015 il Palace of the Arts of Naples will dedicate just to Shepard Fairey, better known under the pseudonym of OBEY, an unmissable exhibition that will undoubtedly attract thousands of visitors, especially during the Christmas holidays. The exhibition is curated by Massimo Sgroi, organized by the Milanese cultural association Password Onlus, in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism of the Municipality of Naples.
Shepard Fairey he is currently one of the most famous American street artists and his electoral campaign led Barack Obama at the White House, was defined by the New Yorker art critic, Peter Schjeldahl, "The most effective American political illustration since Uncle Sam". OBEY was able to create a contemporary pop icon just like the legendary Andy Warhol did in the 60s with Marilyn Monroe, Mao and Campbell's soup.
His artistic poetics already in the 90s focused on the themes of propaganda and social control through also operations of guerrilla marketing and, in the course of the conflict between the United States and Iraq, in the field of politics, thanks to the creation of a series of pacifist posters. But it was the countryside Hope dedicated to Barack Obama that he brought OBEY to success.
A curiosity: even if the Obama electoral committee never formalized the collaboration with Fairey, since the posters were illegally posted in full "street art" style, the newly elected president sent a letter to the artist, later made public, in which he thanked Fairey for the creative contribution to his campaign and which ended with these words: "I have the privilege of being part of your work of art and I am proud to have your support."
On display at the Pan 60 works by Shepard Fairey, for the first time in an Italian museum space, to tell the stylistic evolution of the artist, including the series created for the city of Venice, Capitol hill, the monumental canvas, never before exhibited, which is flanked by works from private collections.
The exhibition Shepard Fairey #Obey confirms the role of Naples as a protagonist of culture and modernity and will allow the visitor to deal with current social issues such as war, repression, propaganda, racism, the defense of the environment and the relationship with music and icons of our century.
Information on the Shepard Fairey exhibition
When: from the 6 December 2014 to the 28 February 2015
Timetables: Monday to Saturday from 9.30 to 19.30; Sunday from 9.30 to 14.30
Price tickets:
- Whole 8 €
- Reduced 4 euro (children from 6 to 26 years; over 60; handicapped people; teachers; journalists not accredited with card; law enforcement officers not on duty; TCI; holders of special agreements)
- Free for children up to 5 years, accompanying disabled person and accredited journalists
- Family ticket valid for 4 people: € 20,00
- Reduced for schools 4,50 euros (Min 15 / Max 25) with two free companions
- Reduced groups 6 euros (Min 15 / Max 25) with a free guide
Where: Pan, Palazzo delle Arti in Naples, via dei Mille 60
Info and contacts: tel. 331 5257660; Official website of the Obey Napoli exhibition
