LOS ANGELES (Top40 Charts/ Recording Academy) - Innovative illustrator Shepard Fairey has been selected to create the official artwork for the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards. The piece, which brings together traditional GRAMMY iconography with Fairey's unique approach to design, will be used as the official artwork for the world's premier music event and will grace the cover of the 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards program book, telecast tickets, promotional poster and 2010 GRAMMY Nominees CD. The 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held on Jan. 31, 2010, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast live on the CBS Television Network at 8 p.m. (ET/PT).
"The Academy is always looking for ways to engage the creative community, and commissioning the official GRAMMY show art is always a great opportunity to recognize how all creativity intersects," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "Shepard Fairey is as much a music fan as he is an artist, and his piece captures the tradition and timelessness of the GRAMMYs, while bringing a fresh and contemporary perspective to represent our 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards."
Fairey, a contemporary artist, graphic designer and illustrator, has spent the last 20 years creating unique and innovative art. A Rhode Island School of Design graduate, he was first recognized for his "Obey Giant" campaign, which was rooted in the counterculture of punk rock and skateboarding. In 2003, Fairy founded Studio Number One, and today it has become one of the top boutique creative design agencies in the country. The agency has produced artwork for a number of musical projects including the CD cover art for the Black Eyes Peas album Monkey Business and the poster art for the film Walk The Line. Fairey has also designed album covers for such artists as Anthrax, Flogging Molly, Led Zeppelin and the Smashing Pumpkins.
In 2008, Fairey gained national attention when his "Hope" portrait of Barack Obama became an iconic image of the presidential campaign. In January 2009, the original image was acquired by the U.S. National Portrait Gallery and is on display in the Smithsonian as part of its permanent collection.
In addition, Fairey has donated artwork to a number of charitable organizations including the ACLU, Feeding America, Hope for Darfur, Hurricane Katrina relief and the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation. He also sits on the advisory board of Reaching to Embrace the Arts, a not-for-profit organization that provides art supplies to disadvantaged schools. This year the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston honored Fairey with a full-scale solo retrospective of his work entitled Supply And Demand, which is also the name of his career-chronicling book. He currently resides in Los Angeles with his wife and two daughters.
Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards - the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music - The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, join the organization's social networks as a Twitter follower at www.twitter.com/thegrammys, a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/thegrammys, and a YouTube channel subscriber at www.youtube.com/thegrammys.
