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Home / Renowned artist donates works to anti-arms fair auction

Renowned artist donates works to anti-arms fair auction

By agency reporter
August 20, 2019

Shepard Fairey, creator of the Obama Hope poster, has donated art to be auctioned at London's anti-arms fair exhibition, which explores war, conflict and peace.

Fairey is one of the best known and most iconic mural and graphic artists of his generation, with a body of work that has been shown all over the world. He first came to prominence in 1989 through his 'Obey Giant' campaign that was based on Andre the Giant. His most well known piece is arguably the iconic Barack Obama “Hope” poster which came to represent Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign.

Art the Arms Fair will coincide with DSEI, (Defence and Security Equipment International) one of the world’s largest arms fairs, which is taking place in East London on 1-13 September 2019. DSEI will see arms dealers from around the world trading weapons of war with military delegations from human rights abusing regimes. Art the Arms Fair uses art to address and expose this arms fair and the global arms trade.

The first Art the Arms Fair event took place in 2017. It was widely acclaimed, winning the Observer and Nesta New Radicals Award. It included an original art piece produced by Banksy. The piece, Civilian Drone Strike, was sold for £205,000.

The exhibition will run from 3 - 13 September at the Maverick Projects in Peckham. The auction, which includes Fairey’s prints, will take place on 13 September at 7pm, with the proceeds going to Campaign Against the Arms Trade.

Shepard Fairey said about Art the Arms Fair: “As an advocate for peace and justice and a strong believer in the role art can play in shaping dominant ideas in society, I’m proud to contribute to a show that shares my values along with a group of outspoken peers.”

Rhianna Louise, an Art The Arms Fair organiser, said: “DSEI has the backing of the UK government and sponsorship from major arms companies. But we are exposing this blood-stained arms fair and raising funds to bring it down; armed with the immense creative power of artists like Shepard Fairey, Hito Steyerl, Peter Kennard and the Guerrilla Girls.”

* Art the Arms Fair https://artthearmsfair.com/

* Images of the pieces donated by Shepard Fairey here

* Campaign Against the Arms Tade https://www.caat.org.uk/

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