According to Shepard Fairey, entering the STRAAT Museum in Amsterdam feels like making the pilgrimage to Mecca. A veteran of the graffiti scene, Fairey’s 30 years of experience makes him uniquely qualified to comment on the gallery’s ambitious undertaking. The feat of showcasing art that is of the streets and, therefore, intrinsically anti-establishment is a big one. Critics of the graffiti subculture are still wrestling with the idea of vandalism being fine art, unable to embrace the power and voices of the boulevard.
The opening of his show “Printed Matters: Raise the Level” is Fairey’s first time entering the sacred STRAAT scene. Blown away by the industrial vastness of the space and the layers upon layers of creative talent, Fairey triumphantly says in his welcome speech, “Incubating this kind of art that many people said should not exist, was vandalism, was bringing property values down, well now we’re the gentrifiers… allegedly. If you look at the quality of the work here, you look at this space, the rigorous intent, and it still has that spirit of possibility and defiance.”
“Incubating this kind of art that many people said should not exist, was vandalism, was bringing property values down, well now we’re the gentrifiers… allegedly. If you look at the quality of the work here, you look at this space, the rigorous intent, and it still has that spirit of possibility and defiance.”
I can guarantee that his initial interpretation of the STRAAT Museum is shared by all who enter the looming 8,000-square-meter container. The warehouse is merely a shell for the living museum that, both inside and outside, bursts into bloom with relentlessly transient graffiti and elevated street art.
The museum’s gallery curator, Hyland Mathers, is a street artist who emerged through the punk rock and skater scene and understands the challenge and nuances of exhibiting street art. Initially, the area and building were filled with the thriving local arts scene.
“In the five-plus years prior to the opening in October 2020, there were a lot of artists making things in this space under the faith that it would one day be this museum. There wasn’t even a full roof on this building. It’s all cleaned up, pristine, and beautiful here now, but it still has that great vibe. I’m grateful that the museum is in a place that is consistently alive. It represents us perfectly in our culture,” Mathers explains proudly.
The space is vigorously animated; the outer bottom three meters of its walls are the constantly changing canvasses for artists playing and honing their craft. Inside, the pieces tower over you, most of which have been produced on sight and are therefore able to reach a truly grand scale. Showcasing more than 160 artworks by 150+ artists, rich in diversity and talent, the STRAAT offers us a deep insight into what street art can be.
Fairey paints how perfectly the museum renders the graffiti subculture: “This is a difficult spectrum to master, and the elite art world will say you can’t do it. If you want to do something that’s for the people, power to the people, and the streets, then it’s not going to have the preciousness, it’s not going to have the academic backing, it’s not going succeed, but what does this place do? It blows that notion away; it’s a triumph right here.”
“This is a difficult spectrum to master, and the elite art world will say you can’t do it. If you want to do something that’s for the people, power to the people, and the streets, then it’s not going to have the preciousness, it’s not going to have the academic backing, it’s not going succeed, but what does this place do? It blows that notion away, it’s a triumph right here.”
On the opening night of his show “Printed Matters: Raise the Level,” Fairey smoothly moves through the crowd of about 1000 people. His celebrity, coupled with his graciousness, part a path through the attendees. His steps echo a biblical character, leaving followers awe-struck in their wake. And yet, Fairey is endearingly self-deprecating as he talks to the guests, patiently stopping for photos and lending a peephole of an insight into how his brain works.
This show delivers Fairey’s tailored counter-propaganda-propaganda; the layers of relatable symbols, portraits, stencils, dripping spray paint, and quippy social comments are meant to bring a heightened consciousness to the repercussions of fossil fuels and climate change. In collaboration with local calligraffiti artist Neils “Shoe” Meulman, Fairey has also completed a giant mural on the western wall of the STRAAT Museum.
Fairey’s ever-present ambition shines as he says, “I want to connect with as broad an audience as possible because art is good for people and their lives. It’s good to experience it, it’s good to create it, and it’s how humans form connections, shift the narrative, and change culture. That should be happening from the right dialogue, not just a few very powerful people with the big megaphone and the ability to make strong propaganda.”
There are over 130 pieces on display, each uniquely tailored to deliver his message, pleading with the audience to pay attention, to act. Fairey’s desire to “raise the level” of social awareness is not confined to climate change, as he incorporates messages about police brutality, xenophobia, misinformation, and racism into the show.
Launched during a rainy night at STRAAT, Fairey’s exhibition flows with the palpable excitement of museum employees, family, friends, and fans. It is accompanied by a steady stream of alcohol and pulsating hip-hop beats. The opening speeches are filled with praise and thank you’s for all teams involved, well deserved after their 14 months of careful curation.
The significance of hosting a Shepard Fairey show at STRAAT is not lost on curator Hyland Mathers, “Because we’re a pretty young museum, only about three years old, for us to get a show of this magnitude is, it’s a bit of a coup, you know?”
The STRAAT team worked tirelessly for the show and event to come to fruition, and boy, did it pay off. As you weave through the upper gallery and former gift shop, you pass vibrant silkscreen prints, protesting mixed media collages, and psychedelic renderings of Fairey’s prolific mascot, Andre the Giant. The titles of the pieces ring in tune with the intent of the art itself. Pieces titled “High Cost of Free Speech,” “Big Brother is Watching,” “Downward Trajectory,” and “Ocean Today Desert Tomorrow” vividly chorus Fairey’s message.
The opening night culminates with a raucous performance from the punk band Ploegendienst and a DJ set from Fairey himself at the NDSM Loods warehouse, a self-described creative experiment down the wharf from the museum. The after-party was organized by OBEY Amsterdam and Sebas Stoutenbeek, the European brand manager of OBEY. Fairey and the team are present and perched on the balcony, watching the mosh pit ebb and flow.
I myself have also sought higher ground as the crowd continues to sweat and ricochet off itself; their energy is intoxicating, as is the wine. There is a unanimous feeling of, “fuck yeah, we did it!” and a shared pride in having shown the world what street art is and can do.
I myself have also sought higher ground as the crowd continues to sweat and ricochet off itself; their energy is intoxicating, as is the wine. There is a unanimous feeling of, “fuck yeah, we did it!” and a shared pride in having shown the world what street art is and can do.
The power of graffiti and street art is that it proliferates people’s potential, allowing them to voice their qualms or express their creativity. The people of the STRAAT museum and the Shepard Fairey enterprise have provided an example of how a subculture, often discarded as defacement, can be elevated and refined so that its messages are spread throughout society.
Quoting Chuck D from Public Enemy, Fairey wraps his speech with, “This is all part of my strategy to reach the bourgeoisie and rock the boulevard. But I’d say rock the boulevard first and then reach the bourgeoisie because if it dominates the streets, then they can’t deny it.”
Shepard Fairey’s gallery exhibition “Printed Matters: Raise the Level” will be at the STRAAT Museum in Amsterdam, NL, from August 13th, 2023, until October 1st, 2023.
