Socialist realism lives, too!

Post by **solicitr** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 8:49 pm

The three- and four-color lithograph technique which first arose in Czechoslovakia in the late 30's and became practically the Official Poster Style in the East Bloc has been revived- by a young American named Shepard Fairey.

Here is some of his work:

And one more image, a thank-you letter from a fan who admires "the political messages involved in your work."

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:29 pm

All your links are broken, solicitr. If the first eight are direct links to a Web site, that might be why; most sites don't allow it.

Post by **solicitr** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:45 pm

That's funny, Prim: they display fine on my machine.

Sat Nov 01, 2008 10:01 pm

I have no problem viewing the images. Must be a browsor thing. Here are a couple of other Shepard Fairey images, which I suspect are what Obama was referring to:

And many others.

Post by **vison** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 10:05 pm

Hm. Is it a "socialist" thing to urge people to vote? Don't quite follow that!

solictr's images won't display on my computer, either.

I like the tree in the "Progress" picture. But I supposed I'm being "socialized" by liking it.

However, none of those pictures really suits me taste. I go for pretty pink unicorn bunnies and princesses in pink dresses and pointy-toed shoes.

Maybe I could post some pictures like that? I bet Holbytla would like them, anyway . . . .

Post by **River** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 10:09 pm

vison, and here I thought you had taste!

The ones I can see (ie, the ones in Voronwë's post) have a nifty sort of retro feel to them. I like the tree.

Post by **vison** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 10:19 pm

Hey, I do have taste.

It's bad, but it's still taste.

Post by **solicitr** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 10:20 pm

Those which aren't displaying are the heroic posters of Lenin, Stalin, Castro and Che captioned "Giant" (or "Gigante"), as well as the expected Uncle-Sam-with-heap-of-skulls stuff.

Oh, yeah. And the Famous "Great Leader" Obama poster.

Vor: presumably the maker of the Commie posters "isn't the Shepard Fairey I [Obama] know." Odd that BO didn't say he just admired "some" of Fairey's political messages.

EDIT: reposted via Photobucket. Can everyone see them now?

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 10:36 pm

They're there, though the letter is unreadable.

Post by **vison** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 10:42 pm

*is awfully sad*

I guess those people are right, after all.

Obama is just like Stalin and Lenin and Castro and Che Guevara, since he was polite to a person who painted rather snide pictures of those people.

*if was an American would change vote!*

The posters about Stalin, Lenin and Co. are really very good and make their creator's point a little too subtly for some. I don't "like" that kind of art, but the message is a good one.

Sat Nov 01, 2008 10:44 pm

Just a reminder that this forum is not for discussion of political issues. If the thread veers into that direction (as seems all too likely) we will lock it.

Post by **solicitr** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 10:54 pm

Um, Vison, I guess I don't see the snidity or 'inner meaning' you're referring to.

Post by **River** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 11:03 pm

vison wrote: The posters about Stalin, Lenin and Co. are really very good and make their creator's point a little too subtly for some.

I thought I was getting hit with a hammer. Maybe I just have an eye for satire?

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 11:04 pm

From the Wikipedia article on the artist:

Fairey created the "André the Giant Has a Posse" sticker campaign in 1989, while attending the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).[3] This later evolved into the "Obey Giant" campaign, which has grown via an international network of collaborators replicating Fairey's original designs.[4] In a manifesto he wrote in 1990, and since posted on his website, he links his work with Heidegger's concept of phenomenology.[5] His "Obey" Campaign draws from the John Carpenter movie "They Live" which starred pro wrestler Roddy Piper, taking a number of its slogans, including the "Obey" slogan, as well as the "This is Your God" slogan. [6]. Fairey has also spun off the OBEY clothing line from the original sticker campaign.[7] He also uses the slogan "The Medium is the Message" borrowed from Marshall McLuhan.

André the Giant, of course, is the Turkish wrestler best known for playing the slow-witted giant in the film version of William Golding's The Princess Bride.

Post by **Holbytla** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 2:49 am

vison wrote:Hm. Is it a "socialist" thing to urge people to vote? Don't quite follow that!

solictr's images won't display on my computer, either.

I like the tree in the "Progress" picture. But I supposed I'm being "socialized" by liking it.

However, none of those pictures really suits me taste. I go for pretty pink unicorn bunnies and princesses in pink dresses and pointy-toed shoes.

Maybe I could post some pictures like that? I bet Holbytla would like them, anyway . . . .

Wait a minute. How did I get involved in this?
You can keep all of the fairy and Fairey pics and burn the lot of them.
Silly wimmens.

Post by **vison** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 4:38 am

Primula Baggins wrote:From the Wikipedia article on the artist:

Fairey created the "André the Giant Has a Posse" sticker campaign in 1989, while attending the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).[3] This later evolved into the "Obey Giant" campaign, which has grown via an international network of collaborators replicating Fairey's original designs.[4] In a manifesto he wrote in 1990, and since posted on his website, he links his work with Heidegger's concept of phenomenology.[5] His "Obey" Campaign draws from the John Carpenter movie "They Live" which starred pro wrestler Roddy Piper, taking a number of its slogans, including the "Obey" slogan, as well as the "This is Your God" slogan. [6]. Fairey has also spun off the OBEY clothing line from the original sticker campaign.[7] He also uses the slogan "The Medium is the Message" borrowed from Marshall McLuhan.
André the Giant, of course, is the Turkish wrestler best known for playing the slow-witted giant in the film version of William Golding's The Princess Bride.

Well, Andre was French, but other than that, he was a great guy! He used to live in Mission, BC. I saw him a couple of times when he was still in the wrestling game.

Art is a funny subject.

And Art Carney was a funny guy.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 7:37 am

Ya live and learn, vison—especially when you know vison.

I was told he was Turkish. Goes to show you.

In any case, this skateboarder artist? Nice grasp of bold, retro graphics; rather tenuous grasp on any kind of message; made a nice, striking Obama poster.