Boston, No Name & Shepard Fairey

Boston Day 1
The hubbers & I went to Boston this past weekend. It was only a three hour drive, nice. I had never been before so I was excited, plus my main goal was to see the Shepard Fairey exhibit at the Institute for Contemporary Arts. He's a graffiti-pop culture- poster artist that made the "oh so now famous and controversial" Obama poster for the '08 Presidential Campaign.

First stop, No Name Restaurant on the waterfront piers. The funny part is, the first thing I recognized near by was the apartments the "Real World Boston" was shot. I am a child of the media, I've seen the future and the past, on the small screen. Or the MTV generation, um that sounds so old skool.

Anyways, No Name seafood was recommended to us by some locals so we thought we'd check it out. Talk about Old Skool. Wow, for realz, I felt like I was at a dive in the old part of Galveston, TX in the 70's. I was wondering where the jukebox was that would be playing Conway Twitty. That's not to say it was bad, just a throw back. Wood beamed walls with huge faded prints of the docks hanging, paper place mats and even wax paper cups for your pitcher of water that was already sitting on the table. And real cups or glasses never came. Whatevs.
We ordered the fish chowder which was full of fish and creamy too, but not thick. I thought it could def use some spicing up. Or even just a stick of celery? And was accompanied by the kind of garlic bread I used to make for supper when I was 12. Not kidding, I thought I was so clever. Some margarine, garlic powder and under the broiler you go. It felt very nostalgic.
Then we split a seafood plate that had fried oysters, scrod(?), shrimp, scallops, fries, cole slaw and sweet relish tartar sauce. As much as I hate to eat nuthin but a plate of fried, fried and fried, it was good I have to say. Plain, simple and to the point.

Over to the ICA and to see Shepard Fairey's exhibit we went! I guess I was so excited to see this show because I really admire graffiti artists or peeps that have come up through the ranks in a non-typical fashion. And again, I'm a child of the media, gobbling up carefully crafted graphics and being spoon fed visual mediums my whole life makes me a bit of a monkey for the pretty colorful candy.
I soon found out Fairey has gone to art school. I won't hold it against him. His whole Obey movement was and still is brilliant. It worked on me and the public exactly like it was supposed to. Overall the exhibit was interesting, moving and made me want to buy a poster. I'll save the esoteric summary. He really has an eye for composition, juxtaposition, patterns and a knack for making a statement visually and politically. BUT and this is a BIG BUT for me......he gives no credit to the artists whose works he's used to make his art. And his art is wrought with other peoples images that he's ripped off. This is BULLSHIT. I have no problem with him using other peoples hard earned images and work, BUT give them credit!!! Because without their work, he would have NOTHING! Or he'd have to find the funds and means to have a photo shoot to get the images he is ripping off for free and with no acknowledgement.
I think it's all a bit "ironical" because supposedly he is railing against "the machine" of consumerism and illusion of commercialism. And he is perpetuating the lie really.
OK enough ranting. I do like his work, but it is a lie, I know this can be debated. Andy Warhol was the father of this movement and debate. Done, done and done, blah blah blah. You can check out other links on the subject that are more fact based. I didn't write them, har har.
http://www.art-for-a-change.com/Obey/index.htm
http://bostonist.com/2009/02/06/shepard_fairey_talks_obama_plagiari.php

Another lovely show at the ICA was the view of the waterfront from the back of their building. If you go there please don't miss it. You can sit and enjoy it from inside or outside. Ahhh.