Via the People’s Cube
The above two posters is our spoof (People’s Cube) of a new anti-gun sign (below) by Shepard Fairey, who is also known as the artist behind the famous Obama "Hope" poster.
Shepard Fairey produced the poster last month in support of the failing anti-gun legislation, and most recently had it printed on hundreds of protest signs in anticipation of a massive anti-gun rally in Washington. From sympathetic Buzzfeed.com: “Artist Shepard Fairey will paper downtown D.C. Thursday with copies of a new work aimed at reigniting the push for gun control.” Reality check: the advertised Occupy The NRA rally attracted only about 60 participants.
That the anti-NRA poster looks Orwellian is not a coincidence. Fairey probably believes he has a spiritual channel directly to George Orwell: after all, he had designed book covers for Penguin’s Animal Farm and 1984, in addition to a series of nightmarish posters collectively titled Nineteeneightyfouria. His Orwellian connection, however, is very unflattering. Lacking the depth and, apparently, the slightest understanding of Orwell’s actual message, Fairey rather channels some mind-numb Party functionary out of George Orwell’s novel as he manufactures establishment propaganda that facilitates the takeover of the individual by the all-powerful state.But Orwell advocated gun ownership and even left us this powerful quote: "That rifle on the wall of the labourer’s cottage or working class flat is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there."
Pacifism is a frequent theme in Fairey's posters. Misrepresenting America's war against Islamic terrorism, he likes to depict Muslims as victims of U.S. military aggression. But Orwell has another message for Shepard Fairey: "Pacifism is objectively pro-Fascist. This is elementary common sense. If you hamper the war effort of one side you automatically help that of the other."
And even more to the point: "Since pacifists have more freedom of action in countries where traces of democracy survive, pacifism can act more effectively against democracy than for it. Objectively the pacifist is pro-Nazi."
Clearly, Fairey hasn't read Orwell. Instead, by the artist's own admission, his inspiration comes straight out of John Carpenter's B-grade sci-fi flick They Live, from which he borrowed his logo and the "OBEY" slogan that became a trademark of his entire artistic career.
The plot of this conspiratorial movie is centred around a drifter who discovers special Ray-Bans which reveal hidden messages behind billboards, television, magazines, and posters, such as, "Obey, consume, reproduce, watch TV, this is your God," and so on. He then joins the underground and helps to eradicate the lizard-like aliens who had hypnotized humanity into obedience.
Continue to read the entire piece here.
Also, make sure you check out Oleg’s other Obama poster parodies found at the end of this article.
For example,