American based street artist, Shepard Fairey, who is best known for his iconic 2008 poster of Barack Obama, entitled, “Hope,” has just unveiled two incredible new murals at Dubai’s Design District (D3). The murals are dedicated to Dubai’s cultural diversity and global cooperation and were revealed on Monday 14th March 2021. The murals, entitled, “Rise Above Peace Fingers and “Rise Above Dove,” are Fairey’s first ever showcased works in the Middle East, and the two walls the art exists on, face each other.
“Rise Above Peace Fingers,” consists of a highly detailed patterned peace sign, layered with another image of a fist holding a flower, whilst “Rise Above Dove,” depicts a dove and camellia flowers. Using his own signature style, as seen in “Hope,” Shepard Fairey has continued with his use of bright red, blue and yellow contrasted against solid black and white lines and details.
Speaking about the designs, Fairey said, “The first is a symbol of strength and empowerment, the paintbrush is for art and the flower as something positive, growing and blooming.” Moreover, the American artist is also showcasing more of his work at an exhibition entitled, “Future Mosaic,” at Dubai’s Opera Gallery. In a statement from Fairey, he says, “Dubai and the US have more in common than many people realize. As well as promoting vibrant creative industries, they both promote justice, peace and tolerance.”
Also expressing his joy about being able to present his work in Dubai and create the murals, he added, “I was so excited to explore these important values and am grateful that Opera Gallery Dubai and D3 gave me the opportunity to create a piece of work that reflects and honors our similarities rather than polarizing our differences. I cannot think of a more suitable place for my first regional mural than right here in D3.”
Shepard Fairey’s street art has been seen on objects such as skateboards, walls, stickers and even presidential portraiture – and his popularity has since grown to the point where his work can now be seen on the walls of the American capital’s prestigious Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC.
