Nineteeneightyfouria: Shepard Fairey Interview

by Tim Yu

Many regard Shepard Fairey as one of the godfathers of the modern urban art scene and he's widely known as one of the hardest working men in the business. His Obey Andre the Giant figure can be found all over the world, oftentimes in some surprising locales. Unique stencil, collage, photography and painting techniques have made him possibly the worlds most well-known street artist.

Fairey's latest venture is taking on the art world as he continues to move his pieces into gallery environments. For those of you who missed the show in New York City you'll have a chance to view his work across the pond in London 1-25 November 2007 at Stolenspace. Named Nineteeneightyphoria, it's his inaugural show in London, arguably the street art capital of the world. Comprised of a range of artworks, mostly awesome in scale, it's an overt reference to the surveillance culture of Orwell's 1984 and where better than just under the Eye and Big Ben. Fairey harnesses his counter culture reputation to question the cultural paradigm post 9-11.

In the midst of all his preparation for the show Shepard graciously offered us some time on the phone. Even over the wires, it was apparent that he's a genuine and passionate individual. We had a great conversation...

So this is your first time exhibiting your work in London?
Well, not exactly. This is my first solo show in London since 1999 and I've been here a few times since putting up some stuff around town. Inaugural makes it sound a bit more special. At the same time, I think Londoners usually only see my stuff online so it will be nice to go there and show my stuff, especially in the large scale that I'm working with right now. And London's a great city! Any excuse to visit is good enough for me.

London, in my opinion, is the center of the street art world right now, especially with the likes of Banksy and his sucess. I'm observing a paradigm shift there more than anywhere else as far as street art, it's value and cultural relevance. London is even starting to loosely protect some of Banksy's work around the city. It is obviously the place to be right now when it comes to this sort of stuff.

I caught your recent show in New York City, what are you doing for this show, anything different?
I am building upon my New York show. Printing my own intricate wallpapers, using some old stencils, making some new ones. A big inspiration for me lately has been Rauschenberg's pieces, so I try to bring that same aesthetic and feel to my collage work. Just very organic, colorful but detailed. I've also been working my brush skills into my work a bit more these days. I mean I always painted, I actually studied illustration and painting in school, but now I have a bit more time to do it all. I'm not just slapping these pieces up on a wall outside where it might be taken down in a few hours so I work at it a bit more.

I have to remember that this is for an audience that will be inspecting my work more closely. So I take my time with it, fill in more details with my brush.

Any difference internally or superficially now that you're increasingly finding yourself in gallery environments?
Firstly, to satisfy the gallery and related components, the pieces need to be strong enough to buy. I want the gallery to be happy with me. Even more than that, they have to be good enough to look at all the time. My pieces on the street, you will just pass in the car or walk by, you're only dedicating a few seconds worth of attention. However, I always have in mind that whoever decides to buy the piece needs to look at it everyday so the work needs to represented in that same light. That right there is rather daunting. Because of this, I obviously put much more time and detail into my work when exhibited in a gallery. I want them to be able to see something new with every look.

Overall being shown in galleries has catalyzed an evolution in my work and things are coming out that I didn't notice before because I'm spending more time with my pieces. It's been a great experience.

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Stratocruiser

by Phuong-Cac Nguyen

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a blimp...no, it's the gorgeous, futuristic-looking Stratocrusier, currently in concept form by Tino Schaedler and Michael J. Brown.

Calling it a "lifestyle zeppelin," the duo designed the white airship as the latest offering in luxury travel that refreshes passengers instead of leaving them dry, dehydrated and jet lagged, a consequence travelers have come to expect.

The key is in the airship's explicit focus on health and entertainment. The designers chose helium to power the cruiser smoothly through the air, an easy ride that would urge passengers to stray far from their seats to take advantage of the on-board spa (with treatments and personal trainers even), a gourmet restaurant with stunning views and private cabins. Air-sickness bags could be saved for use after a night of partying and dancing to music provided by invited DJs. Those on deadline can work from mini offices, likely to be well-stocked with all the latest technological features.

While the Stratocruiser is something to look forward to for long international destinations, the concept is actually made for medium haul travel, such as across the Pacific or Atlantic and between Europe and the Middle East.

via Dezeen

Burt's Bees Natural Skincare for Men

by Ami Kealoha

As part of the masses hooked on the superior moisturizing and natural ingredients of Burt's Bees lip gloss, we were excited to learn about their new line of skincare designed for men. The collection includes bar and liquid soap, shaving cream, aftershave and a cologne.

The cologne's subtle, warm scent, blending citruses and bergamot (i.e. Earl Grey) with woodsy scents for a result that's fresher than most commercial colognes and natural without screaming hippie. The nuanced aroma carries through to the other products thanks to Burt's all-natural mission, which also makes for some of the gentlest products around.

We're particularly taken with the soothing shaving lotion that features calendula (known for care of post-sun or otherwise irritated skin). The body wash, with sunflower oil, is a good bet too.

It's available online from Burt's Bees.

Ice Cream

by Ami Kealoha

Phaidon has a knack for publishing massive overviews that inform, educate, become trusted resources for years to come, and—as is the case with their "cream" series on emerging artists—boast amazing packaging as well. The latest edition, Ice Cream, is no exception with its rainbow mylar cover that takes us back to our sticker collection days.

Fortunately, what's inside the cover doesn't disappoint, including some artists you may have seen in these pages, such as Gelitin (pictured below right), Brian Jungen, some you've probably heard of like Daniel Johnston and Banks Violette and others (Thomas Bayrle, pictured below left) that we probably should've already known about. Chosen by a committee of 10 international curators, the 100-artist round up includes several from the Whitney's 2006 biennial (no doubt thanks to co-curator Philippe Vergne's involvement) as well as a fairly good representation from around the globe (thanks to the geographic specialties of other curators).

Each four-page spread on the alphabetically-organized artists features a history of selected exhibitions, a brief essay or interview, as well as reproductions of their work. A supplemental section of 10 source artists lends some context to the snapshot of contemporary art that Ice Cream presents.

It's available from Phaidon or Amazon.

The Viva Caligula Game

by Lost At E Minor

While not as sexy as the 1979 quasi porno starring Malcolm McDowell and Peter O'Toole, the latest take on one of Rome's most notorious Emperors is ten times more satisfying.

Viva Caligula is a flash game where you play as Caligula. Since the whole empire was so corrupt, the goal is to sadistically slash your way through the Roman populace, including woman and children. Using 26 different weapons and tactics that you accumulate along the way, you gain points with each kill. If you're having a bad day at the office, this game is perfect for blowing off a bit of steam.