(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Mana Contemporary is pleased to announce a special long-term installation by renowned street artist Shepard Fairey as the latest addition to its Mana Urban Arts project. Fairey will create artwork for dual sides of a 60-foot-wide billboard atop one of Mana Contemporary’s buildings overlooking the Pulaski Skyway, as well as a large-scale mural covering a 140-foot-wide wall at Mana’s Ice House, a former ice factory located near the Jersey City entrance to the Holland Tunnel.
The long-term installation coincides with Fairey’s On Our Hands, opening at Jacob Lewis Gallery on September 17. The exhibition of mixed-media paintings is the artist’s first solo show in New York since 2010.
After more than two decades as a professional artist, Fairey’s work is recognized internationally, as his particular aesthetic sensibilities—Russian Constructivism, Chinese Communist propaganda, and Americana—exemplify his philosophies and critiques of the ever-changing political landscape. Best known for his iconic Barack Obama Hope poster and his ubiquitous OBEY Giant street art campaign, his works retain a rebellious spirit of nonconformity.
“Mana Contemporary is proud to host the latest works by Shepard Fairey,” said Stan Sudol, director of the Mana Urban Arts project. “We hope the two murals flanking the geographic entrance and exit to Jersey City will be able to promote a dialogue about the importance of sponsored and fostered public art initiatives and their contribution to a 'thinking' population.”
On Our Hands is on view at Jacob Lewis Gallery from September 18—October 24, with a public opening reception September 17 from 4-8 p.m. Jacob Lewis Gallery is located at 521 West 26th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10001. For more information, please visit jacoblewisgallery.com.
Fairey's work will appear in Jersey City on a billboard atop one of Mana Contemporary's buildings located at 930 Newark Avenue as well as a mural at the Mana Ice House, located at 581 Monmouth Street.
About Mana Contemporary
Founded in 2011, Mana Contemporary is a leading arts destination dedicated to celebrating the creative process. Headquartered in a former tobacco warehouse in Jersey City, Mana unites artists’ studios, exhibition spaces, and ancillary services in a single location, facilitating conversation and collaboration among its burgeoning creative community. Together with its sister campuses in Chicago and Miami, Mana serves as a lively center for all members of the art world. Visitors receive unparalleled access to a range of art-making techniques and presentations first-hand. Mana Contemporary is home to the Richard Meier Model Museum, Gary Lichtenstein Editions, Eileen S. Kaminsky Family Foundation, Armitage Gone! Dance, Keating Foundry, The Florence Academy of Art, Shen Wei Dance Arts, and many others. For additional information, please visit www.manacontemporary.com.
IMAGE: Natural Springs, 2015, Shepard Fairey // OBEY GIANT ART
