As reported in the news media, Shepard Fairey’s court case involving the Boston Police came to a close today. His legal battles in Boston over, Fairey can finally celebrate the success of his first museum exhibition currently on view at the Institute of Contemporary Art.
On July 31, Fairey returns to the ICA for Obey Experiment REDUX, a spectacular evening of art and music on the Boston waterfront. The artist himself will DJ at the event with frequent collaborator Z-Trip — with a special appearance by Public Enemy’s Chuck D. Only a few more weeks remain for people to experience Fairey’s work in Shepard Fairey: Supply and Demand. The record-breaking exhibition closes on Aug. 16, 2009 at the Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA).
Jill Medvedow, director of the Institute of Contemporary Art, said, “We are thrilled to learn that Shepard Fairey’s legal issues with the Boston Police have been resolved. With this matter now behind him, the focus of the conversation can return to where it belongs: on Fairey’s artistic accomplishments, his outstanding exhibition at the ICA, and the meaningful contributions he has made to our visual and political culture. Now that this trying period for Fairey is over, we look forward to celebrating with him on July 31, when we will finally have the chance to properly acknowledge his work and important artistic achievements.”
Including more than 250 works, Shepard Fairey: Supply and Demand, traces the career of Shepard Fairey, recently named “Icon Maker of the Year” by Time magazine. His ubiquitous Obama Hope poster became an iconic image of an historic presidential campaign. The 20-year retrospective, the first solo museum show for the street artist, explores the breadth of Fairey’s artistic practice — from the Obey Giant stencil to screen prints of political revolutionaries and rock stars, to recent mixed-media works and a new mural commissioned for the ICA show.
More than 100,000 people have seen Shepard Fairey: Supply and Demand to date, the highest number of visitors for a single exhibition since the opening of the ICA’s new building on the Boston waterfront. The exhibition travels to the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh (Oct. 17, 2009 to Jan. 30, 2010) and the Contemporary Arts Center Cincinnati (Feb. to May 2010).
About the ICA
An influential forum for multi-disciplinary arts, the Institute of Contemporary Art has been at the leading edge of art in Boston for more than 70 years. Like its iconic building on Boston’s waterfront, the ICA offers new ways of engaging with the world around us. Its exhibitions and programs provide access to contemporary art, artists, and the creative process, inviting audiences of all ages and backgrounds to participate in the excitement of new art and ideas. The ICA, located at 100 Northern Avenue, is open Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 am – 5 pm; Thursday and Friday, 10 am – 9 pm; and Saturday and Sunday, 10 am – 5 pm. Admission is $15 adults, $10 seniors and students, and free for members and children 17 and under. ICA Free Admission for Youth is sponsored by State Street Foundation. Free admission on Target Free Thursday Nights, 5 – 9 pm. Free admission for families sponsored by Hood (2 adults + children 12 and under) on last Saturday of each month. For more information, call 617-478-3100 or visit our Web site at www.icaboston.org.
www.icaboston.org
Image: Shepard Fairey, Obama HOPE, 2008, Mixed media stencil collage on paper, 72 x 48 in., Courtesy of Obey Giant Art.
