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Art Production Fund – Art Wall Project

The Cooper Square Hotel and Art Production Fund present Art Wall Project

This May, The Cooper Square Hotel and Art Production Fund unveil the second installment in their Art Wall Project series. Managing partner Klaus Ortlieb designated the south-facing wall of The Cooper Square Hotel as a venue to showcase public art in order to celebrate the East Village and its long history as a welcoming place for emerging artists. Every few months, the hotel invites Art Production Fund to present new murals by contemporary artists. The latest piece is by artist Shepard Fairey, and it coincides with his Deitch Projects gallery show opening on May 1st, the last show at the renowned SoHo gallery. Fairey’s art wall at The Cooper Square Hotel is among the largest of a number of murals that he’s currently working on around the city.

Shepard Fairey is a Los Angeles-based contemporary artist, graphic designer, and illustrator, who first became known for his “OBEY GIANT” stickers which he created while studying at the Rhode Island School of Design. This design has since emerged into a worldwide street art campaign, as well as a body of fine art. His work is rooted in the counterculture of punk rock and skateboarding while also using references from current events and pop culture. His work became more widely known in 2008 when he designed the Barack Obama “HOPE” poster. Fairey has a unique approach to design and the ability to create new, thought-provoking work while maintaining his sense of style. Today, Fairey’s work is included in the collections at The Smithsonian, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art and several other museums and galleries worldwide.

This past fall, The Cooper Square Hotel unveiled its Art Wall Project. Nic 1, Vizie, Joyce Pensato and Shinique Smith, who represent a range of graffiti and gallery practices, painted and tagged for over two weeks, layering their work on top of one another’s.

Art Production Fund is a non profit organization dedicated to facilitating ambitious projects by contemporary artists, reaching new audiences and expanding public participation and understanding of contemporary art. Past Projects include: SHOW, Vanessa Beecroft, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, 1998; PLAN B, Rudolf Stingel summer 2004, Grand Central's Vanderbilt Hall and The Walker Art Center; Prada Marfa, Elmgreen & Dragset, Valentine, TX, 2005, permanent; Greeting Card, Aaron Young, Park Avenue Armory, 2007; Electric Fountain, Noble & Webster, Rockefeller Plaza, 2008; The Whitney Biennial, Park Avenue Armory, 2008; Members