Phony Fairey

The brief against Shepard Fairey - that he's more a hustler than an artist, and that his imagery is so "appropriated" it's practically plagiarism - is getting some traction, and in the most unlikely of places: one of the Globe blogs! (Didn't he get the memo?) The comments (93 and counting) are mostly dispiriting, and generally channel that braying line of snark endemic to the Internet. But at least the meme is beginning to penetrate the popular consciousness; it's rather obvious that the ageist promotional tactics of Joel Brown are really the only way to put Fairey over - and then only to the ignorant.

(But I would like to add, for the record, that it's quite possible to be for Barack Obama, but against Shepard Fairey. I'm living proof.)

[Wait, there's more: the Associated Press has just announced it will be pressing copyright claims against Fairey for the photograph on which he based his famous "HOPE" poster. The original image (above left, with poster) was a photograph taken by an AP-contracted photographer, Manny Garcia. Fairey has claimed an exemption to copyright by reason of "fair use." While Fairey added little or nothing to the image he appropriated, it will be interesting to see how this plays out in the appropriation-crazy Internet culture that elected Obama.]