Artists Shepard Fairey and Gregg Deal Visit CU Denver for a Conversation on Art, Punk Rock, and More   

CU Denver students, faculty, staff, and community members filled the King Center on May 6 to hear local artist and punk rocker Gregg Deal in conversation with Shepard Fairey, the creator of Obey Giant and Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign poster. The pair are personal friends and were brought to campus by the College of Arts & Media (CAM) for the public dialogue. 

Jeff Lambson, lecturer and director of Emmanuel Art Gallery, introduced the two artists and asked questions from the CU Denver community.  “A lot of the questions were submitted by students,” Lambson said. Many addressed the concerns of a young artist wrestling with how to seek success while exploring and representing their own identity. Some of the inquiries centered on how to balance increased visibility as an artist with authenticity, and the relationship between personal identity and the groups one might be perceived as representing.  

Both artists are known for the political content of their work. Deal’s practice is heavily informed by his Native identity (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe), and he’s earned wide praise for his critique of American society. Fairey is among the best-known artists to help secure street art as a place of more serious regard within the world of fine art.  

Learn more about CAM’s many events here.