You mean Warhol didn’t take this picture of Elvis!? The Shame, The Shame!

Steve, Steve, Steve, Steve, where do I begin? As a fan of underground art (come look at my house walls sometime) and having a shrine to my hero, Warhol in my studio (there, I said it, are you happy) I have come to realize that everyone doesn’t understand copyright laws and ‘image borrowing’. Underground art is based on taking something that is mainstream and converting it to something original and anti-establishment. Something Fairey did with the HOPE Obama image. Underground art is kinda the thrift store version of fine art, just as beautiful and useful, but a lot f’ing cheaper. Though I am disappointed that Fairey hasn’t credited the photo, I’m also glad he didn’t. Why? He does not have to. Once you CHANGE something, it becomes yours. And that really is the essence of art. Creating something new, from something old. I would hope the original photographer would be joyous about it – not sure. But I will say this, Fairey’s version is a lot cooler than the original.

Steve, please stop trying to be an art critic and go back to something you are (kinda) good at, selling snake oil.

UPDATE: The press conference where the HOPE photo was taken was about Darfur and Human Rights, NOT abortion, as Mr. DooHickey would like you to believe.

2 Thoughts on “Of course Fairey didn’t take the photo. F’ing Duh!

  1. Are you kidding, everything is about abortion to DooHickey. Literally everything.

  2. Do you think he is Lester Larson & Leslee’s illegitimate child?

    Nice visual – I know.

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