Fairey Pimps Out Famed Image

The prez isn't really living up to Shepard Fairey's expectations

(NEWSER) - How quickly things change. Shepard Fairey, creator of the iconic Barack Obama ‘Hope’ poster, is no longer feeling quite so smitten with the prez, the New York Post reports. “Washington is too intertwined with corporate America,” Fairey said at a recent show opening. “I had a lot of hope for Obama, but it's not panning out. He's not pushing hard enough.” More»

(NEWSER) - Shepard Fairey’s iconic Obama image inspires “a thrill of concerted purpose,” writes Peter Schjeldahl in the New Yorker, but the same can't be said for the rest of Fairey’s work, on exhibition in Boston. While the Obama poster made something new and vibrant, writes Schjeldahl, Fairey tends to traffic in the old and eventually tiresome. More»

Fairey says use of agency's photo constitutes fair use

(NEWSER) - Shepard Fairey, the artist behind the iconic Obama "Hope" poster, filed a lawsuit against the AP yesterday as a preemptive strike in their copyright dispute. The artist has asked a federal judge to rule that his work constitutes fair use of a copyrighted image. Fairey's suit comes after the news agency wrote to the artist and demanded payment and a share of the proceeds he earned from the poster. More»

Company demands credit and compensation for unauthorized alteration of AP photo

(NEWSER) - The Associated Press hold the copyright on the photograph used to create the iconic "Hope" portrait of Barack Obama and is demanding compensation and credit, reports Wired. Artist Shepard Fairey, who has rocketed to fame because of his multi-colored poster, is defending his unauthorized modification of the photo taken in 2006 by AP photographer Manny Garcia. Fairey found the image in a Google search and says its fair use is protected by law. More»

LA graphic designer says image boosted power of art

(NEWSER) - The iconic Hope image of Barack Obama helped get the Illinois senator elected president, says the graphic designer who created the image. “It has exceeded my expectations almost from the get-go,” Shepard Fairey told Smithsonian magazine, adding that Obama’s “unique” look was an inspiration for him and the public. “That it’s not just another 65-year-old white guy helps.” More»