New Clear Power, Shepard Fairey’s first solo exhibition in Germany addresses systems, forms, and notions of power in at the newly opened AMuseum , dedicated to the street art movement. The Amuseum was initiated by the artistic group Positive Propaganda, led by Sebastian Pohl and Overrated Art Inc.
For this exhibition Shepard Fairey decided to use a wide range of mediums (from mixed-media paintings on canvas, stencils, collage, illustrations, and prints) and juxtaposes colours with images, patterns and text, and feature icons like Keith Haring, Greta Thunberg and Edward Snowden to convey clear messages and raise questions as well as voice concerns about various notions of power.
The concepts of power represented in the subject matter of New Clear Power include abuse of power, power concentrated under capitalism, renewable power, political power, the power of creativity, power over information, and the power of controlling narrative. A primary focus of the work is a critique of fossil fuel industries and their contribution to climate change and environmental decline.
In parallel to the exhibition Shepard Fairey and his team with the help of Positive Propaganda, painted a 115 meters wide mural along a stretch of Munich’s city highway, featuring images relating to the oil industry and the urgency of transitioning to renewable sources of power.
Photo: Positive Propaganda e.V.
Until 30 April 2023
AMUSEUM of Contemporary Art, Schellingstrasse 3, 80799 München
Butterfly Art News is pleased to partner with the Ville de Paris for the Exhibition ‘CAPITALE(S) – 60 ans d’art urbain’, hosted within the Hotel de Ville, Paris City Hall, and running from 15 October until 3 June 2023. Free entry, but booking is essential here
Through the creations of more than 70 artists, works from prestigious collections, archive documents, photos and videos, in situ interventions, painted walls throughout the city, CAPITALE(S) presents a wide panorama of the Urban Art Movement and the importance of the Parisian scene spanning across the past 60 years.
The exhibition starts with pioneers from the 60’s and 70’s like Jacques Villegle, Raymond Hains, Ernest Pignon-Ernest or Zlotykamien.
Then the early 80’s feature the white man figures of Jerôme Mesnager, robots by Speedy Graphito and the proliferation of stencils by Miss Tic, Blek Le Rat, Mosko, Jef Aerosol, Epsylon Point.
This period of intense urban activity allows the emergence of artists’ collectives such as VLP (Vive la Peinture) affiliated with the punk culture or the Ripoulin brothers.
French-American teenager Bando (b. in 1965) introduced graffiti in France after writing in New York, followed by the New York City Rap Tour in 1982. Graffiti writers invade the banks of the Seine and adorn the palissades of the Louvre construction site. Stalingrad, a spot found by graffiti writer Ash, becomes the Hall of Fame for the prolific graffiti scene until 1989, featuring writers like Mode2, Niels ‘Shoe’ Meulman, Lokiss, Nasty, SKKI and numerous graffiti crew. In parallel Psychose paints in the catacombs and the underground sewers system.
In 1987 Keith Haring paints the emergency staircase of the Hopital Necker to provide hopes of brightening the spirits of sick children in the world’s first pediatric hospital.
Like in the US, graffiti was severely repressed in Paris in the early 90’s. American artists like Futura, A-One or even Rammellzee gain recognition from the European artistic community and present their works in galleries and museums in Paris. JonOne will settle permanently in Paris.
In the 2000’s, urban art has become a global movement with a multitude of techniques: from graffiti to street art, paste ups, stickers, stencils, mosaics and more. International artists are coming to Paris to leave their mark: Shepard Fairey, Swoon, Banksy, Vhils.
French artists have also gained international recognition: Andre, Invader, Zevs, JR, Dran, Lek and Sowat, Seth, L’Atlas, C215, Ludo, RERO, Philippe Baudelocqueto Levalet.
Specially for CAPITALE(S), Invader has put two new aliases to be flashed for all the Flash Invaders addicts and shared a fully updated map of his invasion of the streets of Paris.
The exhibition presents also immersive and playful experiences.
Kashink, Kraken and Madame have created 3 entirely virtual works, hidden in a secret room of the exhibition: “The Fifth Wall“. A hunt for clues in Augmented Reality can be found through QR codes to be scanned under the works.
Visitors can try out graffiti with a digital spray can through GRAFFITI DIGITAL Picturae.
Artist Cristobal Diaz has created a GRAFF BOX, an immersive experience combining urban calligraphic production with playful digital devices featuring 250 artists.
While it is difficult to include the full scope of artists that have been active in Paris in the past 60 years within the City Hall, the four curators Magda Danysz, Elise Herszkowicz, Nicolas Laugero Lasserre and Marko93 have gathered following artists:
• Jacques Villeglé • Zlotykamien • Ernest Pignon-Ernest • Surface Active • Captain Fluo • Edmond Marie Rouffet • Blek le Rat • Miss.Tic • VLP • Speedy Graphito • Jean Faucheur • Mesnager • Mosko • Jef Aérosol • Bando • Ash • Jay0ne • SKKI • Keith Haring • Mambo • Nasty • Slice • Psyckoze • Lokiss • Shoe • Futura • A-One • Rammellzee • Jon0ne • André • Zevs • Dize • Invader • Shepard Fairey • JR • Vhils • Swoon • Banksy • C215 • L’Atlas • YZ • Seth • Tarek Benaoum • eL Seed • Ludo • Rero • Dran • O’Clock • Tanc • Lek • Sowat • Cristobal Diaz • Philippe Baudelocque • Levalet • Madame • Kashink • Vision • Pest • Greky • Sébastien Preschoux • Romain Froquet • Kraken • 9eme Concept • Les Francs Colleurs • Saype
There is also a prolific programme throughout the exhibition:
New murals will be painted at the Pavillon Carré de Baudouin and in several Parisian districts,
A selection of pictures will be featured on the gates of the City Hall,
Workshops, conferences and screenings of films and documentaries.
A book accompanying the exhibition is available at Gallimard / Editions Alternatives
Big thanks to all the teams, artists, photographers, lenders and institutions that have participated to the exhibition, specially Clemence Demolling, as well as all the artists that have contributed to the scene over the past 60 years.
CAPITALE(S) – 60 ANS D’ART URBAIN
PARIS HOTEL DE VILLE ( Paris City Hall), 5 Rue Lobeau 75004 Paris
We have gathered additional colouring pages from your favourite artists to let your creativity loose during these uncertain times. You can also check our previous selection here.
Illegal painting from Toulouse presents 2 volumes of colouring pages (link) featuring 62 artists including Miss Van, Mademoiselle Kat, Tilt and more
Romero Britto is sharing a free colouring book (link)
Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans / ThePangaseed Foundation offers 5 volumes of colouring books (link) to help save our seas
Illustration below by Mateus Bailon
Library Street Collective – We All Rise ebook(link)
with 100% of proceeds to benefit Living Arts Detroit, a non-profit with the goal of igniting creativity in the lives of Detroit youth through the performing, visual and media arts.
Participating artists include: Virgil Abloh, Nina Chanel Abney, Doug Aitken, Daniel Arsham, McArthur Binion, Amoako Boafo, Nick Cave, Dabls, Torkwase Dyson, Conrad Egyir, Shepard Fairey, Sam Friedman, Beverly Fishman, FriendsWithYou, Haroshi, Carole Harris, KAWS, Eddie Martinez, Tiff Massey, Charles McGee, Allie McGhee, Simphiwe Ndzube, Jordan Nickel, Jose Parla, Jason REVOK, Julia Wachtel, Austyn Weiner, Wendy White, and Tyrrell Winston.
Tara Mc Pherson is offering 6 colouring pages with her iconic characters (link)
Thank you to all the artists for their generosity !! We love you
With the COVID-19 pandemic, artists around the world are creating Thank You tributes to all essential frontline workers in all fields who help provide our food and services, and to all the doctors and nurses and medical professionals that are making great sacrifice.
To encourage them in these challenging times, to lift their spirits and send them love and appreciation, when so much is expected of them and so many people depend on their work, you can download the following artworks, print them and display them on your window.
British artist Damien Hirst has also created a rainbow and a butterfly heart of hope in support of the NHS and the Evening Standard charity campaign to help the hungry.
To kick start the 30th Year anniversary of Obey Giant, the Street Art Fest in Grenoble (France) presents the largest exhibition ever organized dedicated to the prolific career of American artist Shepard FAIREY.
Starting in 1989, Shepard Fairey became known for his stickers featuring Andre the Giant, and then for the Obey the Giant campaign. He became world famous by producing Obama’s campaign poster “Hope” in 2008. In France, his ‘Marianne’ portrait, tribute to the victims of Paris terrorist attacks, adorns the office of the French President, while protesters have revisited this image with a blinded Marianne.
Spanning over 30 years (1989-2019), this comprehensive exhibition offers a global vision of the work of the artist with 600 works, with a selection of his best visuals, enriched with anecdotes and detailed information.
From his first hand-made stickers to his latest multilayered screenprints, visitors get to understand the esthetic and dissent messages by Shepard Fairey and his prolific body of work. A chronologic timeline presents a selection of 150 iconic screenprints, complemented by thematic sections like environment, politics, charities, peace, and music. The exhibition curated by Jérôme Catz provide a comprehensive picture of Shepard’s Fairey 30 years career.
butterflyartnews.com 