Shepard Fairey comes to Hey There Projects, opening reception this Saturday (11/14)
As Joshua Tree galleries open for the monthly Second Saturday Art Walk on November 14, a well-known contemporary artist will be on view at Hey There Projects.
Shepard Fairey first gained attention with his “Andre the Giant Has a Posse” street-art campaign, which evolved into OBEY GIANT. In 2008, he created the iconic “HOPE” portrait of Barack Obama, which became one of the most recognizable images of that year’s presidential campaign.
Fairey has created more than 140 public murals worldwide, and his work has long spanned street art, graphic design, popular culture, and political and social commentary.
Hey There Projects was founded in 2019 by artists and Art Center teachers Aaron Smith and Mark Todd. Todd says Fairey already knew the gallery and had visited it several times. When Todd reached out about an exhibition, Fairey responded almost immediately.
“He loves Joshua Tree and was visiting. He’s been to our gallery several times. He’s purchased work from us. I think I reached out to my friend, asked for Shepard’s number, and texted him. And he literally, two seconds later, called me back. So I told him we would love to show his work. Before he hung up, he agreed he would love to do something.”
Fairey’s new solo exhibition at Hey There is called “Justice in Bloom.”
The artist says Joshua Tree and the resilience of its landscape inspired the exhibition. The work explores possibility, renewal, hope, and justice, using nature’s ability to endure harsh conditions as a metaphor for social change.
The exhibition includes mixed-media works on paper, hand-painted multiples, serigraphs on paper and wood, and metal prints.
Hey There Projects co-founder Aaron Smith describes what visitors can expect.
“And the great thing is, he is going to be doing a mural on the side of our building, and that is going to be done a week before the opening. It will be a permanent thing. And then we will do a limited-edition print with him that’s exclusive to the gallery and a T-shirt,” he said.
The opening reception is Saturday, November 14, from 6 to 9 p.m., with music by local DJ King Abe and food from Scorpion Club. The exhibition continues through December 10.
Hey There Projects is located at 61675 29 Palms Highway in downtown Joshua Tree.
