OBEY IN DETROIT FINALE

So, if you’ve been keeping up with my recent art action, you know that the crew and I were just in Detroit doing a bunch of stuff. The trip was amazing and I could not have had a better experience working with Anthony, JJ, Pete and Matt from the Library Street Collective on gallery and outdoor projects. You guys rule! I’ve always loved Detroit because it has so many beautiful textures, old signs, great architecture, and derelict spaces for the renegade artist to fill. Now, it also has some creatively and progressively minded community members who see street art and graffiti as part of Detroit rejuvenation through incubating creative culture. Bedrock was cool enough to offer me a 185 x 55 foot space on their building to do my largest mural to date. I’m very grateful to have such a prominent piece in Detroit. I also painted a smaller mural called “Pattern of Destruction” in the alley called the Beltway, and created 5 smaller (8’x8’ and 8’x12’) panel pieces along the Beltway as part of Library Street’s “Public Matter” project. A bunch of other great artists like Tristan Eaton, Pose, Hush, Vhils, Sam Friedman, and others have contributed to this project. We also did a 14 foot water tower and some other spots. The opening was amazing with a great turnout and very enthusiastic response to all the art in the gallery and on the streets. Thanks Detroit!

The show was a huge amount of work, and I owe a lot of thanks to my crew of assistants, Nic Bowers, Dan Flores, and Rob Zagula for their help executing the murals and putting in the long hours. Thanks also to Jon Furlong and CJ from Obey Clothing for all the great photos, and to Joe Russo for coming out to shoot for Juxtapoz.
-Shepard

Well we’re back in the office and some what in a daze, I keep thinking its Monday. This past week hanging in Detroit with Shepard and the crew was one for the books. I can’t say enough about the city, the people and everyone from Library Street Collective! ( Anthony, JJ, Matt and Pete) You guys are truly awesome and definitely made this trip one to remember! So much was happening the last fews days and if I posted all of the imagery Cj and I shot, it would be an endless post. Anyways, here is my best attempt to show some visuals of everything that went down. Here’s a write up from Shepard about the trip. Enjoy!

The final view of Shepard’s largest mural to date.

A view from down below

A view from far far away 32 stories up. Gives you some perspective of the size of this beast.

After the mural completion, Shepard headed over to the gallery where he was greeted by 35 students from The Detroit Academy of Arts & Sciences. Shepard gave a tour of the gallery and spoke to the youngin’s about the art culture and the history behind OBEY GIANT.

Along with all the fruit punch and potato chips, the kiddies all received a blank canvas to create their interruption of Shep’s mural.

After all that, we headed down the street to put up a 15′ icon on a water tower which we were so graciously given permission to put up.

nice walk over with all over our gear and then a nice 9 story climb up top. This was the first of a few parts I felt like I was dying.

Again, as I have done in the past, I foolishly think I’m like these guys and have no fear of heights. I was wrong, full blown panic attack up here. Thats me on the left shaking while I’m trying to shoot. Oh well!

While the crew went to relax before the opening, Cj and I swung by the best Speakeasy in Motown – Cafe D’Mongo’s to knock out a quick interview with Larry D’Mongo