Already an exhibition and book, Beautiful Losers is now a new documentary which celebrates the work and D.I.Y. ethic of a group of contemporary artists who came together in the early nineties. Directed by Aaron Rose, whose NYC storefront-sized Alleged Gallery served as the meeting ground and showcase for these artists’ work, the film focuses on personal stories around their emergence from the subcultures of skateboarding, graffiti, punk rock, and hip-hop towards mainstream pop culture. This Friday, the film makes its New York City debut at the IFC Center and tickets are available online.
The film features artists Aaron Rose, Barry McGee, Chris Johanson, Ed Templeton, Geoff McFetridge, Harmony Korine, Jo Jackson, Margaret Killgallen, Mike Mills, Deanna Templeton, Stephen “ESPO” Powers, Thomas Campbell, Shepard Fairey, and Cheryl Dunn.
Street artist Shepard Fairey was in New York last week and hit the streets, pasting up an Obama poster on the corner of Houston and Bowery, among other spots. Unfortunately, he sacrilegiously pasted right over the work of graffiti writer MARTY, who has been holding down that corner for years. We expected he would take it back, but were surprised he’d do it in broad daylight. Razor Apple reader, Vincent Ng from the LES, caught some photos as MARTY of Smart Crew painted a fill-in over the Obama poster on Saturday afternoon, cleverly using orange paint to match the new Keith Haring mural next to it. Reached for comment by email, Shepard was apologetic for pasting over MARTY, saying, “I don’t like to go over people ever, however, I feel Obama being elected is very important to everyone’s future including MARTY’s. It was not intended to be disrespectful of him, but if he chooses to be that small minded and petty about it I can’t control that. I certainly would expect him to justly re-claim the spot after the election.”
Oddly enough, just a few hours after MARTY finished painting, a trio of Obama-loving graffiti-haters was cleaning off the poster that they mistakenly believed was legal. Who was this pro-Obama buff squad? Shepard doesn’t know, but guesses that, “people [just] feel strongly about Obama.” Obama is certainly hoping people feel strongly in support during the West Virginia primary today.
Below are some photos of MARTY in action, and the the pro-Obama buff squad at work.
Good news: Shepard Fairey says he’s not going blind, but his eyes aren’t without complications. “[W]hen I was in NY last summer for my show at Jonathan’s, I just had a bleed in my right eye and the whole time I was working on that show I only had partial vision in my right eye. But, I was still able to work, I could still paint and cut, and do what I need to do.” “Eventually I got the bleeds in both eyes and they had to do the surgery.” [ANIMAL]
According to ANIMAL, famed street artist Shepard Fairey may be losing his eyesight. “According to one source close to Fairey, he could be legally blind by the end of the year.” [ANIMAL]
Good news: Shepard Fairey says he’s 
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