Bobby Grossman

Overloading The Grid David Byrne AP Silkscreen Print by Shepard Fairey- OBEY x Bobby Grossman Hand-Pulled Color on Cream Speckletone Fine Art Paper Limited Edition Artwork Obey Pop Culture Artist Proof. AP Artist Proof 2024 Signed by Shepard Fairey- OBEY & Marked AP Limited Edition Artwork Size 18x24 Silkscreen Print of Talking Heads Singer David Byrne Photo by Bobby Grossman. "I’ve been a fan of the Talking Heads since I was a kid and heard songs like “Once in A Lifetime” and “Burning Down the House” on the radio, well before I discovered punk rock and understood the Talking Heads’ important role in the nascent punk scene as it developed in NYC at CBGB’s in the mid-70’s. I remember seeing the film Stop Making Sense on HBO as a teen and thinking the Talking Heads singer, David Byrne, was very weird and very fearless to dance around in an absurdly oversized suit. I didn’t yet realize that exploring the awkward nature of existence was precisely Byrne’s strong suit! Later, as I got a little more sophisticated, I realized how creatively adventurous the Talking Heads were both musically and with their visuals." -Shepard Fairey Overloading The Grid David Byrne AP by Shepard Fairey and Bobby Grossman The Overloading The Grid Artist Proof silkscreen print from 2024 brings together two highly influential figures of countercultural visual language: Shepard Fairey and Bobby Grossman. This hand-pulled screen print features the likeness of David Byrne, the iconic frontman of the Talking Heads, based on a classic photograph by Grossman and reimagined through Fairey’s unmistakable graphic aesthetic. Printed on cream Speckletone fine art paper and signed and marked AP by Shepard Fairey, this 18x24 inch edition merges photography, music history, and political design into a single portrait that reflects both artistic legacy and cultural disruption. The Legacy of David Byrne in Visual and Sonic Innovation David Byrne’s influence transcends music and bleeds into the worlds of performance art, fashion, and design. As the lead singer of Talking Heads, Byrne’s cerebral yet experimental style embodied the sensibilities of the downtown New York scene during the punk explosion of the 1970s. With an offbeat stage presence and a flair for embracing discomfort as a thematic device, Byrne made awkwardness a mode of expression and communication. His contributions to music videos, album artwork, and stage productions helped define the visual language of new wave and post-punk, laying the groundwork for a visual narrative style that continues to influence contemporary art and design. Shepard Fairey’s Graphic Interpretation Through Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork Shepard Fairey’s reinterpretation of Bobby Grossman’s photograph speaks directly to the ethos of Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork. With signature grid overlays, limited color palettes, and stark shadows, Fairey constructs a visual tension between formality and rebellion. His use of contrast and stylized design imbues the portrait with a power often reserved for propaganda art, reflecting his career-long interest in political messaging and iconography. The screen print format itself holds deep roots in street art and DIY culture, enhancing the piece’s connection to underground aesthetics. Fairey's technique amplifies Byrne’s gaze, turning the portrait into a symbol of creative defiance and urban sophistication. Bobby Grossman’s Influence on Cultural Memory Photographer Bobby Grossman captured the raw, behind-the-scenes energy of New York’s downtown scene with honesty and intimacy. His photography functioned not just as documentation but as an active component of the era’s aesthetic. This collaboration with Fairey pays tribute to Grossman’s influence as an image maker and archivist of punk, pop, and street art culture. His image of Byrne—now stylized, reframed, and elevated—finds new resonance within the larger context of contemporary art. By pairing Grossman’s lens with Fairey’s visual voice, the print becomes more than a portrait; it is a statement on the enduring impact of artists who shaped the language of resistance and reinvention through Street Pop Art & Graffiti Artwork.

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