$$ FREE SHIPPING USA $$
by Shepard Fairey of OBEY GIANT
!! SOLD OUT !!
!! get it while you can, only going UP !!
Official Signed and Numbered Print
Artist's statement:This explanation of my Empire State of Mind print may sound familiar,
because it shares the same theme with my Oil & Gas Building print.
The print is inspired by, but not based on, the Empire State Building.
Industrial power has been a point of pride in America since the early
20th century, and many impressively iconic, if monolithic,
architectural landmarks have been erected as symbols of industrial and
American dominance. The Chrysler building, the General Electric
building, the Sears Tower, and the Empire State Building come to mind.
Dominant industrial forces may build great monuments to their success,
but those physical manifestations of their power and ego often correlate
to the dangerously disproportionate influence they have on politics and
policy. America has had an empire state of mind for the last 100 plus
years, but the dangers of thinking the world is ours to dominate and
plunder are staring us in the face. The flame on top of this building is
not a torch of glory, but a fire of reckless over-consumption This
Empire State of Mind print is about the volatility of giving an industry
with too much power the ability to manipulate politics in its favor
despite the dangers to the environment and climate change. The situation
is going to blow up in our faces metaphorically, and already has for
too many people literally as well (remember the BP explosion and
spill?). A lot of people freaked out that the Obama administration lost
taxpayers about $600 million by investing in Solyndra, a solar panel
company developing a new technology, which went bankrupt. However, few
people seem upset that the U.S. government gives approximately $25
billion in tax breaks and subsidies to the highly profitable oil and gas
industries. The Solyndra investment did not work out, but the need to
fund new, renewable technologies, should be obvious when the rapidly
depleting oil and gas sources become more difficult and dangerous to
extract each passing day. The only reason the government subsidies are
so disproportionate is because of the massive power the dying oil and
gas industry still has.
The Oil & Gas industry, which includes multi-national and
independent oil and gas producers and refiners, natural gas pipeline
companies, gasoline service stations and fuel oil dealers, has long
enjoyed a history of strong influence in Washington. Individuals and
political action committees affiliated with oil and gas companies have
donated $238.7 million to candidates and parties since the 1990 election
cycle, 75 percent of which has gone to Republicans.
Though oil is finite, our reliance on it is so extreme that the
power wielded by those who control oil is virtually unlimited. Oil and
gas companies and the car manufacturers who profit heavily from gas
powered engines used their power and influence to overturn a zero
emissions law in the state of California, effectively delaying electric
cars arriving on the market accessibly for 10 plus years. It is
dangerous for an industry to have that much power.
We need to cultivate renewable alternatives, and for the sake of
the future, we need to push the government to support the developers of
new technologies rather than subsidizing old fossil fuel models moving
toward obsolescence.
Check out this article on the political influence of the Oil & Gas industry – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/06/how-the-oil-lobby-greases_n_845720.html
Thanks for caring.
-Shepard
Information:
Run: 450
Technique: Screen Print
Size: 18 X 24
Markings: Signed & Numbered by Shepard Fairey