Bad news from Austin: The Shepard Fairey mural, originally scheduled to be installed on Thursday, March 19, on the UT Art Building, has been postponed indefinitely.
Here’s part of the UT press release (complete with awkward comma action at the beginning of the last two paragraphs):
"We jumped at the opportunity and set the wheels in motion to take advantage of his offer," says Landmarks director Andrée Bober. "Shepard’s work is important and perfectly suited to our program, but it was ambitious to try to pull it off in just one week. Unfortunately, we ran out of time."Dean of the College of Fine Arts, Doug Dempster would like to reschedule the event. "We would still like to see his work here on campus, but the compressed schedule makes it too difficult at this time. As dean of Fine Arts, I felt that we were rushing the process with an important artist and an important installation. I decided that it would be better to slow down and proceed in a more deliberate fashion. I’m sorry that we could not move fast enough for this project to happen."Zarathustra James, Fairey’s representative said it was great of Landmarks to welcome Fairey’s work, but that they understood the logistical challenges. "Shepard would definitely be interested in a future project," said James. "With a little more planning, he’ll even be able to get involved with the faculty and students."
2 comments
Maybe they should get Barbara Kruger — who is the real deal instead of rip-off, plaster and spraypaint over artist Shepard Fairey. As for justice is concerned— if the mural does go through I’d like to see Ron English(UT Grad-85- I think) and pals pull out their old tricks and totally deface the the “trendy” Fairey’s work with real work. Isn’t that how the street man (fairey) got famous by defacing things.
How ’bout getting Lee Baxter Davis to do a mural instead–at least it would be timeless!!!!
Is Austin really ready to become a mecca of the small Red Book of communism? Trey Shiek?
Here here for Ron English!