The last time Shepard Fairey was supposed to rock the house at the ICA/Boston, on his opening night in February, he got arrested. The legal case over his postering the city goes on. But Fairey (left) will make another attempt to spin the wheels of steel at the ICA on July 31, a couple of weeks before the "Shepard Fairey: Supply and Demand" exhibit closes to move to the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh. He's coming for "Obey Experiment REDUX," a major-league bomp-sh-bomp from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., which will find attendees taking in the exhibit, including his iconic "Obama Hope" poster, and hitting the dance floor while Fairey plays DJ with the help of collaborator Z-Trip and guest Chuck D. Bringing along a member of Public Enemy to the city where Fairey was celebrated and handcuffed on the same night seems like an obvious in-joke.
"Supply and Demand" has the ICA's most popular exhibition since its 2006 opening. "Attendance has reached nearly 100,000, and will likely go on to become one of the highest-attended exhibitions of any contemporary art museum in the United States this year," the ICA says. Perhaps more importantly, the exhibit "has surpassed all our aspirations for audience, debate and diversity," said director Jill Medvedow.
The graffiti bust hasn't been the only controversy, of course. Fairey has also been criticized both substantively (for appropriated images) and stylistically (has he cashed his street cred?). The $125 VIP lounge tickets to Obey Experiment REDUX (open bar - light snacks - meet the artist) will not silence the naysayers. Regular tix are $35, and memebrs get discounts on both. The bash is 21+. Tix: Tickets at www.icaboston.org or 617-478-3103.
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