I've been a fan of Dr. Cornel West since the first time I heard him speak, he's no doubt one of my favorite people on the planet. The first time I actually met him was in November of 2000, the day before the dreadful presidential (s)election of G.W. Bush. He was traveling and speaking with a personal hero of mine, Ralph Nader. A year later I approached him (as well as Ralph Nader and a few others) to make a contribution to my updated version of The Idealist, since i was also planning on including a photo of him in it, he was happy to oblige and gave me some inspiring words for it's text. Since then we've seen each other a few times at various events and speaking engagements. Back in July of 2009 I went to see him speak at a Revolution newspaper discussion, and with less than 2 minutes to work I took the photo back stage that became the basis for the recent collaboration.
Last year some time when I approached Shepard with the idea of doing two more collaborations, he was immediately into it. One for 2010, and one for 2011 was part of the plan. So in 2010 we did the first, based on my photograph of Dr. Cornel West, mentioned above. Finally just the week before last we got Brother West to come down to the Studio Number One offices, out by Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, to sign the posters. Not since the Bad Brains collaboration, (that all of the original members signed), have I been so excited to get one of these signed by the subject and out. Shepard and I signed them back in January. Now, very appropriately it is being released on October 14th, the same day that in 1964 Martin Luther King Jr. became the youngest man ever to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. As usual the print will be available on the Obey Giant web site. This is a limited edition (450), they are numbered, and signed by all three of us. If you're interested, keep close attention to the site because they usually go within the first 24 hours (or in some cases the first 24 minutes!)
Oh, and for the 2011 print... Well, if you come to my show in San Francisco next month you'll get to see the "fine art" version before the poster version is released - hint: it will be released on February 13th 2011, on the subjects' 50th birthday!
Rollins?
ReplyDeleteLove the Cornell print. May have to find a spot on the wall in my office next to the Bad Brains print.
Keep doing your thing.
-A long time fan
I used to work in a coffee shop in Harvard Sq. where Dr. Cornel West would come in from time to time. At the time I was young and I didn't know who he was but remember thinking he was a nice guy. Even when the rest of his colleagues would completely ignore us, unless giving us their order, he would alway go out of his way to be friendly and polite to all of us who worked there. Plus he's a hell of a sharp dresser!
ReplyDeleteldd - good guess.
ReplyDeleteEBD - good story
thanks for sharing.