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. With The book on “Obey”
Just out: Supply and Demand: The Art of Shepard Fairey. Sample page images here.
Mr. Shepard Fairey will be signing copies at MOCA in LA, on Saturday. He says:
“This book is 350 pages, large format (9″x12”) with a foil embossed cover. More than looking spiffy from the outside, it is mega-juicy on the inside. There are tons of images that have never been published as well as essays and interviews by Steven Heller, Carlo McCormick, Roger Gastman, Rob Walker, Helen Stickler, and me [Shepard Fairey]. This is the definitive case study, art book, bible of Obey Giant. I hope you dig it. All copies from the site are signed.”
Further diversion may be found at MKTG Tumblr, and the Consumed Facebook page.
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Kim Fellner's book 
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Reader Comments
I can’t tell you how happy I am that you blogged this. I ran across the OBEY giant spraypainted on a sidewalk at the end of our street in Plano, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, about 4-5 months ago, and I see it every time I walk to the store. Not having seen the meme before, I wasn’t quite sure what it was about, but I was sure there was some story behind it, not just a kid who decided to spraypaint something interesting for a change. We’re also in a pretty grafitti-free area, so a bit odd to see anything at all, let alone something carefully stenciled. I followed your link and learned all about the phemonmenon from wikipedia, etc. Two points I’ll make on it:
1. The fact that it’s showing up in Plano, Texas means that it has passed it’s prime as a subversive expression and passed into American Eagle/Old Navy territory
2. I am always the last to know about these kinds of things. Now that I know about it, it’s definitely over.
Since I have an essay in the book mentioned, I’ll be brief here, since 1) That piece says everything i have to say, and 2) the fact that i have an essay in the book indicates a certain bias.
I would guess that Obey stuff has been showing up Plano for a long time now. I’m generally not a believer in the traditiona marketing-world notion of things being “subversive” and then “over,” in a sort of linear way. It all depends on who is consuming something, under what circumstances. What’s played out to some is quite fresh to others. The question of legitimacy and meaning is more ambiguous in the real world than it is in theory. What I like about this project of Shepard’s is that he embraced that ambiguity. I really, truly, think it’s a big mistake to simply write it all off as being “over.” Of course it’s over. Everything is over. Big deal, where do you go from there? THat’s what I’m interested in.
Anyway, since you’re in Plano, you might check out the new gallery space of Art Prostitue, at
Art Prostitute Gallery // Dallas, TX // 2919-C Commerce St. // 214.760.7170
I’m guessing they’ll get this book in stock at some point. If you don’t know Art Prostitue, definitely check it out, they’re pretty impressive:
http://www.artprostitute.com/