Hope as a driving force: an interview with Shepard Fairey

How was your trip to Montreal?

Shepard Fairey : This is really good. This was only my second time in Montreal and I had a chance to see the city even more. The last time I came was 25 years ago with my parents, who were primarily interested in Old Montreal and tourist attractions. This time, my priority was to combine my exhibit and mural painting, but I had a chance to take a walk and had a good time.

What is the concept of your mural?

SF : It is a mural about peace and justice. The woman represented there is somewhat similar to the activist’s archetype, with a balanced Themis around her neck. He looked straight in the eye at passersby. There is also a picture of an AR-15 assault rifle with flowers coming out of the barrel. This is a motif that has existed since the Vietnam War and I think it is very relevant today to the war in Ukraine and gun violence in the United States.

How long did you spend painting your mural?

SF : It took me three days with a group of four people. We started early in the morning and finished around 8 pm in the evening. We work fast as a team because we have a lot of training. I’ve done over 100 murals, mostly of the same group of people, so we’re pretty good.

Fortunately, the weather was on our side, apart from the strong wind the first day. When it rains, we have to stop everything because the stencils are damaged and the paint doesn’t stick properly.

How did you collaborate with Mural?

SF : I have known the festival since it was created or almost. We’ve been trying to work together for years, but it didn’t work out because of my schedule, which was often a whole month in advance.

When I go to a city to make a mural, I also like to take the opportunity to organize an exhibition or a conference. This time, I was lucky: I made a mural, I was a DJ on the opening night of the festival and I had an exhibition. [à Westmount]. So it’s worth the wait.

You present an exhibition entitled Peace and Justice in Westmount. Are these the only topics covered there?

SF : The exhibition is linked to the mural, of course. Peace and justice are general themes that contain several sub-themes. The works shown here discuss climate change, environmental degradation, peace and war, racism, sexism, xenophobia and the need to separate politics from corporate influence.

These themes are consistent throughout my work. I symbolize positive things with a blooming flower, mandala or peace sign. I often use images related to the oil industry to illustrate environmental degradation, such as fires or oil slicks in water.

” I try to make my work clear for someone who isn’t too interested in art or politics. Hopefully my works will serve as a gateway to deeper things. “

There are approximately one hundred works on display and the exhibition showcases the combination of techniques I use: screen printing on wood or metal, collages, traditional painting, stencil printing. I wanted to have pieces that were affordable and more expensive, and I also wanted to showcase the full range of techniques I use, as this is my first major exhibition in Montreal.

Apparently, almost all of the works you have presented have already been sold. Is there anything left?

SF : Yes, I believe that when I left Montreal [samedi], less than 10 works left to sell. Very good. It’s important for me to continue to do the things I do, which are sometimes very expensive, like taking my team overseas, paying for plane tickets and hotel rooms. I funded it all with my sales, so I’m grateful to everyone who got the job. It allows me to do more things than just sell my art. I can do free things for the public and I can donate money to charities close to my heart.

You are known for making posters hope, which Barack Obama used in his 2008 presidential campaign as a message of hope. As an American, are you hopeful or more desperate about your country’s evolution over the years?

SF : I believe the period leading up to Trump’s election, and after his presidency, has been very difficult for the country, creating divisions that are difficult to fix. But I still have hope, because I see that people can be good to each other, they feel compassion and sympathy.

I always try to make my art constructive, but I’m just a person. There are a lot of people who are interested in the issues that interest me, but the United States government doesn’t seem to be working. Congress does not pass laws that reflect what most people want, because many states with smaller populations have as much power as others with more people.

But I remain hopeful. These days, I watch the hearings about the insurrection on January 6th [à la Maison-Blanche] and I see how members of Congress are trying to carefully show the ways Trump has tried to undermine democracy. When people know the truth, they make better decisions.

Without hope, there is no reason to act and action is an integral part of my philosophy. The best therapy for living with some difficult facts is to take the time to study them and create something better. I need hope to stay motivated.

Do you believe that your sense of social justice has disappeared over time or, conversely, that it has intensified?

SF : I think my sense of social justice is stronger than ever, because when I was young I didn’t have enough knowledge to comment on all the issues that seemed complicated to me, although I always did my research on my topics. covered.

Over time, I have realized that many people in government are no longer credible on the issues they address, at least no more credible than the average citizen. I became more outspoken over time.

Some cities are trying to eliminate certain forms of street art, such as graffiti or tags, that they consider visual nuisances. Do you believe that street art has to be visually pleasing in order to have its place?

SF : The way I see it is that all of these art forms come from a similar impulse, even if that doesn’t mean they all have the same quality. What people see as attractive or not is always subjective.

I believe that people who choose to do street art are looking for a way of expression and liberation, and they often have to learn their art in public. The first part of their learning curve is not going to be great, but after a few years people may see more value. [à l’environnement urbain]. If this process is stopped, the progress of the artists will also slow down. I don’t think street artists should be punished, because if people have no way to express themselves, they’re likely to be more frustrated and more angry. Street artists are just looking for an outlet.

As the creator of the Obey clothing brand, which was inspired by an activist movement, what do you think companies use social justice as a brand image or a marketing tool?

SF : I believe that authenticity and honesty are very important. I used social justice for my clothing line, but at the same time I returned the reasons on which my works were focused. At Obey, we organize the Obey Awareness Program twice a year and the proceeds will go to organizations like 350.org, which is fighting climate change, or to the Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization for the protection of rights of minorities and improving laws concerning them. We also donated money to the Brady Campaign, an organization advocating for stricter gun regulation in the United States.

Many companies project an image that seems to indicate that some cause is close to their hearts, but I don’t know if they are truly invested like I am. On the other hand, if a company believes it needs to improve its image to keep pace with the mindset of its customer base, the world is likely to benefit. Ultimately, it is up to each consumer to decide if the businesses they support are consistent with their values.