Sue Me Shepard Fairey

In April I wrote a post that included this image.

Since then I’ve received a few request to turn it into a T-shirt. I never did because I basically stole Shepard Fairey’s work and it seemed wrong to sell an image that I took from another artist and made minor tweaks to. But then I remembered that’s exactly what Shepard Fairey did with Mannie Garcia’s AP photo.

And not only that, Shepard Fairey then sued the AP saying he had the right to steal their image. Now that is one ballsy move. I can only hope he remains as principled about this shirt.

He Can’t Be All Four
Printfection
$20

Tags: AP, Barack, Communist, copyright, fair use, Mannie Garcia, Nazi, Obama, Photography, Shepard Fairey, Socialist

Art, Buy Something, Pictures | Adam | August 11, 2009 8:47 pm

44 Comments

By chris burns, August 25, 2009 @ 1:59 pm

the photographer gave his full authorization to shepard fairey – it’s the AP that was being a dildo about it.
By Adam, August 25, 2009 @ 2:22 pm

Mannie Garcia didn’t give permission to use the photo. In fact he didn’t even know it was his photo that was used until someone else figured it out. And once he did find out, he wasn’t happy about it.

http://www.aphotoeditor.com/2009/02/27/shepard-fairey-and-mannie-garcia-on-nprs-fresh-air/
By Kate, August 28, 2009 @ 2:54 am

None the less, this shirt kicks ass …
By Not Really, August 28, 2009 @ 11:55 pm

You’ve got a really clever message but this design fundamentally doesn’t work. In fact, it’s awful.

If you swapped out the Obama Hitler imagery with, say, a Fairey-ized image of Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck then you might have something that makes some sense. And by the way: You really don’t need the Hitler mustache either.

You could also just let the “Make Up Your Mind…” part stand on its own. That piece of it — the text and the four logos — is pretty brilliant. But that’s the problem — the Obama Hitler imagery completely overwhelms and confuses the actual message here. One swastika on your t-shirt is plenty strong enough imagery-wise w/out the Hitler ‘stache on our president, don’t you think?

Anyway… bottom line is you need an editor. You’re ruining a potentially great little concept.
By Not Really, August 28, 2009 @ 11:57 pm

Sorry. To be clearer I mean: If you Fairey-ized a photo of Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck, you wouldn’t need or want to Hitler-ize Rush or Glenn. Just have their Fairey-ized image atop your text and four logos. Then you’ve got something compelling.
By Adam, August 29, 2009 @ 3:18 am

I don’t really disagree with you. I originally made the obama/hitler image which I thought was so ridiculous that it spoke for itself, but to make sure no one missed the point I added the text. With the text, the obama/hitler image may muddy up the message, but I liked it so I kept it. Bottom line is, I don’t really care because I’m doing this for myself, not you. No one’s making you buy a shirt.
By liessi, August 29, 2009 @ 12:10 pm

For what it’s worth, I didn’t know this was Obama until curiosity made me investigate further. As soon as I saw that mustache, it was Hitler, which made the t-shirt verrrry confusing. (You don’t want t-shirt that needs an instruction manual to understand it.)
By Andrew Mayer, August 29, 2009 @ 2:05 pm

Does Mannie Garcia own Obama’s likeness?

Did he “steal” it when he took the picture?
By Adam, August 29, 2009 @ 2:11 pm

Ha, I love it. In fact, Obama doesn’t own his likeness, he stole it from his parents.
By Not Really, August 29, 2009 @ 4:18 pm

Yeah, I know you didn’t make this for me but you’ve gotta admit, if you just Fairey-ized a Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh or Sarah Palin image (no Hitler ‘stache necessary) and put THAT above your text and logos, you’d have a killer t-shirt.

Actually…. Would you make that for me? I’d buy it.
By Adam, August 29, 2009 @ 9:04 pm

How’s a Heil Limbaugh shirt sound?
By rita, August 30, 2009 @ 1:25 pm

I love the shirt. Got it right off.
By anna, August 31, 2009 @ 7:02 pm

Love the shirt but have to agree – I’m not comfortable wearing ANY Hitler imagery, and the message is better without it.
By Flynn, September 4, 2009 @ 9:51 am

I’m kinda in the same boat with some of the above comments: Love the idea on a fundamental level. But the image is so right there in your face, I think it overshadows the message.

I daresay that some of the loopy conservatives and Obama haters would buy this shirt out of confusion. And while that would be funny — it wouldn’t diminish the point that the depiction of our President as that monster is how they truly perceive him.

It’s still a great shirt Adam. If there was a version with Obama as himself, I would seriously consider it.

Cheers
Flynn
By true, September 25, 2009 @ 3:50 pm

Not that cool make something original and stop riding the coat tails you can walk down to Venice beach and buy the rasta version, rainbow version, and every other countries flag color versions. I’m over it.
By Adam, September 25, 2009 @ 3:52 pm

Funny that you’ll take the time to comment but not to read the post.
By Гей сайт, September 27, 2009 @ 8:36 pm

I love both the idea and the realisation… It seems so easy now that you’ve done it

I woukld not wear it, of course, not living in Chicago and all, but i see the humor!
By ChrisB., September 28, 2009 @ 8:53 pm

It’s a great idea but . . .I have to agree with the above comment – in today’s world, where information is evaluated instantaneously, the shirt comes off as a dig against the President. Of course, a thinking man or woman wouldn’t see it that way, but politics doesn’t work that way.
By Keith, October 13, 2009 @ 9:45 am

Shepard Fairey is a hypocrite.

Read this essay and judge for yourself.

http://www.art-for-a-change.com/Obey/index.htm
By suck balls, October 17, 2009 @ 3:03 am

As someone who is rarely offended, hitler? for real? an artistic masterpiece?
Please take your meds before posting.
By Adam, October 18, 2009 @ 8:43 pm

Dear Suck Balls,

Your mother must not love you very much if she named you Suck Balls. Probably because you don’t understand irony. I don’t blame her.

Also, I didn’t call it an artistic masterpiece, but thanks for assuming.
By Lucia, October 27, 2009 @ 8:52 pm

“I don’t really care because I’m doing this for myself, not you. No one’s making you buy a shirt.”
Fair enough.

But the fact of the matter is that if you took the criticism well and removed the hitler stache and made a new image, I’d probably give you 20$.
Oh well.
By Polly, October 30, 2009 @ 10:19 pm

Andrew asks whether the photographer owns Obama’s image – well yes. A photographer owns an image once they take it, regardless of who it is of!
As for the t-shirt, like a lot of people above me – I could never wear a t-shirt with an image that resembles Hitler – ideologically and also I couldn’t deal with the amount of crap I’d get for wearing it! Despite the message it conveys. I personally think it would work better without the ‘Obama looking like Hitler’ image. Just my input!
By Your Mom, November 2, 2009 @ 5:08 pm

When he starts putting people in concentraion camps and shooting Jewish people in the face…Then you can call him Hitler…
By Marlee, November 9, 2009 @ 4:48 pm

mama mia!

flynn: I daresay that some of the loopy conservatives and Obama haters would buy this shirt out of confusion.

^ true.

believe it or not..im still trying to figure out this t-shirt…not because adam made it confusing..im just dont understand if this is a pro obama – or pro-not obama shirt ?!

help.
By JungleFreak, November 19, 2009 @ 12:31 pm

For all of you who seem to still be confused, the wingnut conservatives have been calling Obama a number of things from socialist, to communist, to fascist, as well as the most liberal senator (during the campaign). Each of those political ideologies are mutually exclusive. He can’t possibly be all of them at the same time. The image just highlights how ludicrous the so-called insults are when looked at rationally.
By Juliet, December 4, 2009 @ 7:56 pm

Wow, can’t believe the number of people who are confused by the image or what Adam’s saying. Guess that’s the sad statement on the analytical abilities of today’s minds.

Adam – great job. If I had the $20 to drop, I would.
By Holley, December 13, 2009 @ 6:05 pm

I love it. If I’ve got 20$ at the end of this week when I’m done christmas shopping….I’ll be buying one of these.
By I hate people, December 15, 2009 @ 2:25 am

I really wish people got what you were going for here…
By Anti Vigilante, December 19, 2009 @ 10:43 pm

Yeah but he can be three.

Obama is a right winger with left cover.
The bailout bill was written by Wall Street.
The health care bill was written by Health Insurance companies.

Liberals are as gullible as conservatives and the irony is none of the armchair pundits are committed to either point of view.
By art t shirt, January 6, 2010 @ 11:11 pm

Thank for this
By Hitler Knockers, September 16, 2010 @ 9:06 am

This is a great shirt!
A sentiment I reiterate everytime I hear someone refer to Obama as any/all of the above!

However…

I have big boobs creating a wide canvas space for the image of “Obama as Hitler.”

BUT.. I also have a smallish waist, where the “point” of the image would get all bunched up and distorted making me look like another teabagging idiot, and initially pissing off the people who would actually agree with it!

Keep it up, though–you’ve got a good thing going, here!
By Adam, September 17, 2010 @ 2:24 pm

My new goal is to only write posts that make people respond by describing their bodies.
By Anna, October 19, 2010 @ 10:49 pm

(I know this is rather old but I’ll comment anyway) … Personally I think the message is very clear. Anyone who didn’t get it off the bat is just an idiot. I love it.
By John, May 25, 2011 @ 12:24 am

What would Obama think if he saw this?
By Adam, May 25, 2011 @ 12:25 am

Hopefully “Why is my staff wasting my time showing me this?”
By RED, June 13, 2011 @ 2:11 pm

I ran across the image totally by chance and like it, both for it’s message and the Fairey ripoff. I don’t believe anyone could sue you for it as you altered it and in doing so are covered under the “fair use” clause (which I’ve read but mostly forgotten). Check out the art of Richard Prince from N.Y. He appropriates images wholly and seems to mostly get away with it. He gets sued occasionally but I don’t think he cares.

I would hesitate with the shirt because anything with Hitler is to touch the third rail, it’s like white people using the “N” word, doesn’t matter how many black people you’re friends with, use it at the wrong time and things can get ugly quick.

It brings to mind a story I read once about Siouxsie the singer and how as a teenager she had gone to protest something and dressed like a Nazi. Her attire was directed at whatever she and her friends were protesting but once at the event she got separated from her friends and ended up getting her ass beat “because she was dressed like a Nazi.”

Ran across another image you might like prior to finding yours, sort of a similar vein:

http://i424.photobucket.com/albums/pp322/hellnook/war-is-peace-bush.gif

Shirt or no, I printed a copy of yours and will add it to my collection along with the one I found on an S.F. street several years ago “Obama as Joker.”

Cheers,

R.
By iso 9001, September 22, 2011 @ 12:58 pm

Dies ist ein super blog.I Liebe kommenden editieren, Inhalte ist groß.