Abby Martin on an Artist’s Duty | Brainwash Update

By on February 8, 2013 in News 31

Abby Martin showcases some of her political artwork and explains art’s importance in reflecting the culture.

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  • https://twitter.com/posthumanistic/ Posthuman Apparel

    Sheppard Fairey is a hack and got where he is by stealing other peoples concepts and actual artwork. And Im not even talking about that Obama photo, he’s ripped off other artists like Erik Brunetti (of Fuct) to elevate himself to the level that even allowed that opportunity. Most people dont even realize his company is based on a concept put forth in They Live. I have doubts about how much of his art he even creates these days. The guy is probably nothing more than an art director at this point.

  • https://twitter.com/posthumanistic/ Posthuman Apparel

    Sheppard Fairey is a hack and got where he is by stealing other peoples concepts and actual artwork. And Im not even talking about that Obama photo, he’s ripped off other artists like Erik Brunetti (of Fuct) to elevate himself to the level that even allowed that opportunity. Most people dont even realize his company is based on a concept put forth in They Live. I have doubts about how much of his art he even creates these days. The guy is probably nothing more than an art director at this point.

    • Kevin Leonard

      I’ve pretty much always thought of him as a pretty good graphic designer.

      • https://twitter.com/posthumanistic/ Posthuman Apparel

        He’s not a graphic designer, he’s a street and streetwear “artist”. But he steals all his concepts: http://www.art-for-a-change.com/Obey/index.htm There was another page with more examples on the Bright Nights blog, specifically about the Fuct rip offs, but looks like that site is down now. And Milton Glaser, one of the most notable graphic designers of all time would agree with me: http://www.printmag.com/Article/milton_glaser_shepard_fairey

        • Kevin Leonard

          Arright. Won’t argue semantics over the posters, but I do like how you put “artist” in quotes.

    • InfvoCuernos

      If you want to see a good take on the art industry today, check out “Exit through the gift shop” it was on netflix awhile back and featured a real political artist Banksy. As for Abbey’s attack on Fairey, it seems odd considering her unconditional support of Oliver Stone-another artist who supported publicly the Obama campaign. For the record, I think Oliver Stone did do a pretty good job of covering the Obama administration’s misconduct and it continuation of Bush’s policies, against the will of those who voted for him, so maybe its a case of “voting for the lesser of two evils”, but I can’t believe that voting for any evil is a good idea.

      • Mr B

        I’m VERY pleased to finally see some acknowledgement in this community, of Stone’s Obama endorsement.

        Which far as I know, Abby continues to ignore, despite many commentator mentions under her videos (I think that her much publicized Stone-Kuznick interview, is possibly by far her most popular video to date).

      • https://twitter.com/posthumanistic/ Posthuman Apparel

        Exit through the gift shop was excellent, I saw it in the theater. Anyone ever find out if Mr Brainwash was just Banksy poking fun at the current state of art?

        • InfvoCuernos

          I always thought that Mr. Brainwash was Banksy too!

        • Apathesis

          Judging by photos, they gotta be the same person. Focus on the nose.

    • Apathesis

      Oh, he’s that dink responsible for that OBEY crap? He’s so important, I forgot his name. Everything about that guy’s stuff offends me.

  • echar

    Right on… lots of money can be a side effect of success, and not proof of it. Everyone can have a twenty four hour, seven days a week, 365 days a year art showing. They don’t even have to take off their pajamas.

  • f_galton

    Her artwork isn’t as good as George Bush’s.

  • BuzzCoastin

    the daze of the “artiste” are long over
    if they ever existed at all
    what passes for art has been money driven for centuries
    Warhol’s art was the definitive statement on ART being dead
    as if Duchamp wasn’t enough

    want art?
    make your own, it’s never been easier

  • jack jones

    “in a world so corrupt with so much injustice, is it not our duty to reflect the ugly truths instead of feeding into the very institutions that work to supress them?”

    Wait, you mean like how Pussy Riot did?

    whoops, sorry didn’t mean to piss off your overlords at the kremlin. pass the vodka please.

  • jack jones

    “in a world so corrupt with so much injustice, is it not our duty to reflect the ugly truths instead of feeding into the very institutions that work to supress them?”

    Wait, you mean like how Pussy Riot did?

    whoops, sorry didn’t mean to piss off your overlords at the kremlin. pass the vodka please.

  • Mr B

    As I’ve said before, Martin’s a fucking hypocrite.

    She makes many anti-war, pro-peace artworks: http://www.abbymartin.org/gallery.php

    Then in episode 47 said: “…the way military veterans are treated in the US, is an absolute disgrace!” (which I argued with her over via Twitter) and even worse in episode 81: “…we do hearrr um,…sometimes about victims of torture victims of the war but the SOLDIERS of course are pretty much thrown under the bus.”

    • echar

      How is being concerned about the well being of human beings hypocritical?

      • Mr B

        What an intellectually dishonest thing to say.

        It obviously is, when those “human beings” are the very murderously violent chauvinists whose wars you’re campaigning and making artworks against.

        To all the philanthropists who gave that comment an *up*: contemplate the *well being* of their countless victims.

        • Kevin Leonard

          Ms. Martin is opposed to the system, not to individuals. Especially not the ones who aren’t treated adequately for the wounds, physical and psychological, incurred during their service.

          If you have ever known anyone, or had a family member, who was part of the service, you should know that servicemen and women are not the monsters.

          • Andrew

            Of course they are. All human beings are monsters.

          • Mr B

            So she’s not against individuals but IS pro-individuals; specifically those who’ve VOLUNTEERED to do murderous, white supremacist violence, for smirking Fox News’ 21st century crusade against Islam.

            That evil campaign people protested against in their millions last decade, but now how convenient amnesia about.

            Is ‘the system’ to blame for this video?:

            ‘Soldiers Behaving Badly’

            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orYFMvI5vBk

            Weird to think that I got 6 Disinfonian *ups* and no *downs* for writing this the other day:

            ‘’Einstein’s unequivocal condemnation of the military is
            clear – he views it as an institution which represents the ultimate debasement
            of the human spirit. …“…senseless violence, and all the pestilent nonsense
            that goes by the name of patriotism – how I hate them!”’

            Excellent. I like Einstein.’

          • Kevin Leonard

            there will always be assholes

          • echar

            I think he made that crystal clear.

          • Mr B

            Yes, with my critic-silencing evidence of US soldier* abuses.

            *Or “heroes” as our jingoistic mainstream media maliciously hails them, with an egregious irony.

          • Mr B

            Indeed. Run out of argument?

          • Kevin Leonard

            No. Just patience for assholes. I ranted against that video and the people who were apologizing for them when it was posted on disinfo . But it is both a fallacy and a lack of decency to place all service men and women in the same category as the asshats in that video. If you can’t see that, it is not worth my time to argue with you..

          • Mr B

            The *other category* being typical sociopaths, who obediently perform or facilitate: LIMITLESS murderous violence against others; the destruction of their property, lives and the furthering of US imperialism.

            Abby Martin makes no distinction between the two; not that it would mitigate much for me if she did.

            It must be nice for deep-seated, racist, hooligans to know, that contemporary, paid, sand nigger-slaughtering, can now be executed with total domestic impunity; and perversely underwritten by the former left. Who help to ensure they’ve a smooth transition from revelling in neo-Nazi skinhead atrocities; and that their scandalous lives in the West, will forever be an eternally championed, unfettered, paradise.

          • Kevin Leonard

            You should take a serious look at the Trivium. You are lacking in all three branches.

          • Mr B

            Or perhaps you should persevere a little more to comprehend; but I suspect your retort’s cowardly subterfuge.

  • http://twitter.com/TedHeistman Ted Heistman

    She could be in Juxtapoz. They had a political issue a few months back.