Shepard Fairey paints OBEY painting on side of Louisville bar

Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, Louisville Courier Journal
·1 min read
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Shepard Fairey is leaving his OBEY mark on Louisville.

The internationally-known artist, famous for the "Hope" portrait used in Barack Obama’s first presidential campaign, painted an OBEY sticker outside of High Horse Bar, 1032 Story Ave. According to a release from the bar, Fairey left the painting in the middle of the night Tuesday. They have since added a sheet of plexiglass to cover and preserve it.

The OBEY Giant was a propaganda Fairey started in 1989 through a sticker "to stimulate curiosity and bring people to question both the sticker and their relationship with their surroundings," according to his manifesto. The intention is for people to find meaning and details in the sticker and is open to each person's interpretation.

Shepard Fairey's "OBEY" artwork is protected by a sheet of plexiglass at the High Horse Bar on Story Avenue. Fairey, in town to paint a mural of Muhammad Ali, stopped by to add OBEY to the front of the bar late Tuesday night.
Shepard Fairey's "OBEY" artwork is protected by a sheet of plexiglass at the High Horse Bar on Story Avenue. Fairey, in town to paint a mural of Muhammad Ali, stopped by to add OBEY to the front of the bar late Tuesday night.

Fairey was in town painting a seven-story mural of Muhammad Ali on the side of the Chestnut Street Family YMCA. The image is based on a photo by Ali’s "personal photographer" Howard L. Bingham.

Farey also hosted a public workshop at Louisville Visual Art and his work will be displayed between April 26 and May 7 at Common Art Gallery at PORTAL,1512 Portland Ave. in a show called "Outside Influence."

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Reach Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez at abrinez@gannett.com; follow her on Twitter at @SoyAnaAlvarez.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Shepard Fairey leaves OBEY sticker painting at High Horse Bar