Shepard Fairey
AZ Immigration Law Email Response
Dear Emailer,
Thanks for your note and support of my clothing line. I guess you and I have different concerns and opinions. Just
because a majority of people support something does not make it right. The majority of the country supported
slavery, segregation, and not allowing women or blacks to vote at various times. Yes, I need to make enough money
to survive, but my business endeavors are secondary to my stance on human rights. In fact, I use my business to
finance my art, which is often political. I think how we make and spend money can be very political, actually, almost
every decision we make has political repercussions. I take a stand on issues I believe in despite the possible resulting
harm to my business. The immigration issue is complex, but what I think is important is compassion. I see no
difference between immigrating here for a better life as a Latin American now, or a European 200 or 300 years ago.
Racial profiling has obvious potential for abuse by law enforcement, and tearing apart families is never the right
solution. I’m not advocating illegal immigration or lawlessness. I’m opposed to abuses of basic human rights and
liberties for all people. If these rights for immigrants are not supported, there may be a situation in the future that
may disqualify YOU from those basic rights.
-Shepard
______________________________________
From: Emailer
Date: July 24, 2010 4:58:56 AM PDT
Subject: [Obey Giant Contact Form] General Inquiries
I run a business, too, and I think it’s foolish to mix your personal views with your professional image. Lashing out
against the AZ law on your business website was a poor choice. Over 50% of the county supports this law. It will
likely cost you business. Stick to what you know–making t-shirts. Nobody cares what their t-shirt manufacturer
thinks about immigration. Sorry to sound harsh, but I like your clothes and if you want to stay in business you need
to exercise some discretion.
- Emailer
Source: http://obeygiant.com/headlines/az-immigration-law-email-response
Hans Hoffman
Source: http://www.artknowledgenews.com/Delaware_Art_Museum_Hispanic.html
Artemio Rodriguez
Source: http://favianna.typepad.com/faviannacom_art_activism/2008/06/immigration-pos.html
Rolando Briseno
Source: http://www.rolandobriseno.com/moctezumas_table/
Juan Carlos Marcias
Source: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/6PPuCX6Ti-S/Immigration+Themed+Art+Exhibit+Opens+Chicago/Rr7FYVeYiYy
Yolanda Lopez
Source: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/6PPuCX6Ti-S/Immigration+Themed+Art+Exhibit+Opens+Chicago/Rr7FYVeYiYy
Felipe Ehrenberg
Source: http://library.stanford.edu/depts/spc/exhibits/Images/ehrenberg.jpg
Roberto Rosique
Source: http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/6PPuCX6Ti-S/Immigration+Themed+Art+Exhibit+Opens+Chicago/Rr7FYVeYiYy
Tony Ortega
Source: http://www.tonyortega.net/images/mural4.jpg
Resources
Immigrant Art Exhibitions: Insights of Passage…
http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/05/19/travel/escapes/19ahead.html
Mexican-American Artist Brings Immigrant Experience Out of Shadows…
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/people/Mexican-American-Artist-Brings-ImmigrantExperience-Out-of-Shadows-105171804.html
Mexico, Nation in Transit: Contemporary Representations of Mexican Migration to the United States
(University of Arizona Press (November 1, 2011)
The Art of Dulce Pinzon: http://www.dulcepinzon.com/en_projects_superhero.htm
The National Museum of Mexican Art: http://www.nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org/
Fowler Exhibition Explores Human Side of Mexican Migration:
http://www.international.ucla.edu/news/article.asp?parentid=96190
The art of Felipe Ehrenberg: http://www.ehrenberg.art.br/index.html
Teacher’s resources for Yolanda Lopez: http://www.chicano.ucla.edu/research/Lopez.shtml
Teaching Tolerance: http://www.tolerance.org/activity/immigrants-and-us
The Art of Rolando Briseno: http://www.rolandobriseno.com/