Shepard Fairey in Philly

2001 Frankford Ave.
Adjacent to the Rocket Cat Café in the Fishtown area of Philly is a large mural of a woman wearing a traditional rice paddy hat while holding a machine gun with a rose petal at the tip of her barrel. Politically provocative and satirical depictions of individuals such as this are common in Fairey’s art. In the background of the mural, Fairey’s commonly placed “Andre the Giant” stares down passerby. Unfortunately the mural was tagged with graffiti last year, but since has been almost entirely restored to its original state.

2621 W. Gerard Ave.
Fairey’s other mural in the city depicts a woman colored in a bold Fairey–red. She partially covers her face with her jacket. The work also has Fairey’s ubiquitous “Andre the Giant” image, along with the OBEY symbol, which complements many of his works. The unflinching propaganda–like aesthetic of Fairey’s mural manages to simultaneously glorify and satirize his subject, delivering a convincing message regarding the power of politicized art.