Fairey's "Peace Goddess" Casts Her Gaze over the Arts District
Ed Fuentes
[Flickr]
Street artist Shepard Fairey stands in front of "Peace Goddess," new work installed in the Arts District as part of the LA Freewall project.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Last fall, street artist Shepard Fairey's posters showing Barack Obama became a symbol of a campaign and then a symbol of controversy, as Fairey and the Associated Press squared off in lawsuits over photo rights. The famous work was first produced out of Fairey's former warehouse studio at 6th and Alameda, and posted around the Arts District.
Tuesday, Fairey was back in his old neighborhood completing the installation of the 24-foot-tall "Peace Goddess," overlooking the intersection of Traction and E. 3rd. The work is the second in curator Daniel Lahoda's LA Freewall project.
Lahoda believes street art can put the Arts District on the map. "Everything is going to be here in Downtown," he said Tuesday as he watched the installation. "We have all the square footage set aside, particular in this neighborhood."
Each location has the permission of the building owner, and Lahoda surveys tenants to make sure they don't object.
"It's a long term project, and by filling the entire neighborhood with street art, hopefully we can turn this area into the largest outdoor art gallery."
First up was a work by London-based street artist "D*Face," who last week placed works at 7th and Mateo and on the east wall of the building that now hosts "Peace Goddess."
Lahoda is documenting these and other street works on his Jetset Graffiti website.
sheratonhotella
MOCAlosangeles
That thing looks awesome.
Controversy aside, Shepard is a street art legend and has done more than any single person to legitimize it. So nice to see him continuing to contribute to the community here in LA and worldwide.