Try Obey if you can't wait for "Art in the Streets" #ArtInTheStreets

This week is the run up to the luge (large x huge) "Art in the Streets" exhibition at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA in LA. If you can't wait, as a warm up you can still see Obey's show on the other side of town.

The exhibition entitled, "REVOLUTIONS - The Album Cover Art of Shepard Fairey," kicked off in March and runs until April 23, 2011 briefly overlapping with the MOCA show.

The show is a collaboration between Obey Giant Art, Subliminal Projects and Robert Berman Gallery features over 80 artwork album covers that take inspiration from Fairey's favorite punk, rock, new wave, jazz, and hip hop artists to produce artworks in 12" record cover format. For all the collectors there are two limited-edition album cover print box sets available.

I think we can all relate to how music has shaped our interest in the culture of that era or generation. Shepard Fairey explains his personal journey and why he chose to do this particular art series.

"Long before I knew about art galleries or even street art, I was excited about album cover art, if only because it was the visual counterpart to the music on the records.  Album covers conjured a euphoric association with the listening experience. Most of my earliest home-made tee shirts were stencils based on punk album covers. I've had some very moving encounters with art in my life, especially in the street, but nothing can compare with the first time I heard the boots marching and first chord of the Sex Pistols' "Holidays in the Sun," or the air raid sirens leading into "too black, too strong" on Public Enemy's It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, or the opening guitar scream of Black Flag's "Rise Above". That music makes my arm hairs stand up.

"Music is visceral and accessible, but also  has the additional powerful layers of the lyrics with their content and politics, the style and personalities of the musicians, and the politics of their lifestyles. No matter how much I love art, or try to convince myself of its relevance in society, the fact remains that music is a lot cooler and way more able to reach people's hearts and minds... but I'm a populist and I look at this way: I may not play an instrument, but I'm gonna rock it hard as nails anyway. REVOLUTIONS is a celebration of all the great music and accompanying art that has inspired me over the years.” Shepard Fairey

ROBERT BERMAN GALLERY
At Bergamot Station Arts Center
2525 michigan avenue, Suite C2/D5
Santa Monica, California 90404

+1 310.315.9506
www.robertbermangallery.com