Obama iconic poster artist Shepard Fairey unveils new mural in Amsterdam

American street artist and activist Shepard Fairey unveiled a large mural in Amsterdam-Noord on Thursday, the STRAAT museum announced on Wednesday in a press release. Over the past few days, the internationally influential artist has been working on a 14 by 15-meter mural on the side facade of the STRAAT museum building, situated in a former shipyard of NDSM. In addition to the mural, a new solo exhibition showcasing his work will open this Sunday at the museum dedicated to graffiti and street art.

Shepard Fairey, a street artist and activist, gained international fame with his Barack Obama "Hope" poster, which was later adopted for Obama's campaign and became an iconic image during the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign. He is also the founder of the clothing company OBEY.

Titled "Raise the Level," Fairey's artwork aims to highlight the urgency of "improving the dire state of our planet" and urges collective action. The mural prominently features a large hand flashing the "peace sign," accompanied by the inscriptions "Handle with care," "In the name of humanity," and "Harmony." "With this contribution to Amsterdam, Fairey sends a message of hope: the significant challenges facing the world demand harmony and unity," the museum noted.

For this mural, Fairey collaborated with Amsterdam graffiti artist Niels 'Shoe' Meulman, who is known for his gestural paintings mixing graffiti and calligraphy. “Shoe's association with Amsterdam is deeply rooted in his work, essentially embodying the creative spirit of the city,” the museum added.

In addition to the mural, Fairey has created a work for the permanent STRAAT collection. From 13 August to 1 October 2023, the major solo exhibition “Printed Matters: Raise the Level,” featuring more than 130 artworks by Fairey, will also be on display at the museum. The phrase "raise the level” alludes the necessity of raising awareness of the consequences of climate change “to save the earth.” The exhibition also touches on issues like nationalism, xenophobia, war, fake news, and threats to democracy.

“Apathy is largely fueled by dread and feelings of powerlessness, but I hope my work will sow the seed of the idea that art can be a galvanizing and joyful form of communication and activism,” Fairey explained.

The exhibit will run until October 1st. It is “the biggest showcase of Shepard’s work in the Netherlands ever,” the museum stated on its website.