Rollins 50 2-Color Hand-Pulled Limited Edition Silkscreen Print on Fine Speckletone Art Paper by Shepard Fairey Rare Street Art OBEY Pop Artwork Artist.
Signed & Numbered Screen Print 18 x 24 inches Edition of 700 February 4, 2011
"Henry Rollins has a birthday coming up that only comes along once every half-century… YES, he’s turning 50. This calls for a Rollins fortnight celebration with two prints spanning 30 years. This week the ROLLINS 50 tour poster drops. Next week on 2/13/11 I’ll release a print collaboration with Glen E. Friedman based on a Black Flag ’81 shot. . I hold Henry in high regard for his many talents as a singer, writer, radio DJ, TV host, political and social commentator, etc… but above all I love his energy and gusto. Henry has been doing it his way hardcore for 30+ years. This 50 poster is ridiculous not because Henry is getting older, but because Henry would never lounge around long enough for the reaper to get a jump on him. " -Shepard Fairey
Glen E. Friedman, a name that resonates with the vibrancy of punk rock, the raw energy of skateboarding, and the defiant spirit of hip-hop, is an iconic figure whose photography has captured some of the most pivotal moments in these subcultures. His work is not merely a collection of images but a vivid narrative of rebellion, artistry, and societal impact. As a topic within the realms of pop, street, and graffiti art, Friedman's contributions are significant, merging the spontaneity of street photography with the aesthetic sensibilities of fine art.
Friedman's journey began in the 1970s as a photographer who could intimately capture the skateboarding scene in Southern California. The images he produced were not just depictions of the sport but a reflection of the culture and attitude that defined a generation. He was one of the first to document the burgeoning skateboarding movement, and his photos helped elevate the profile of skateboarding from a subcultural activity to a globally recognized sport, intertwined with artistic expression. The dynamism and composition of his skateboarding photographs are often replicated in street and graffiti art, with artists drawing inspiration from his ability to freeze a moment of pure, uninhibited freedom.
Moving from the ramps to the clubs, Friedman then immersed himself in the hardcore punk rock scene, capturing bands like Black Flag, Minor Threat, and Bad Brains. His pictures from this era are raw and unfiltered, perfectly encapsulating the DIY attitude of the time. The immediacy and urgency in these images resonate with the spirit of street art, where every stencil and spray-painted mural is a declaration of presence and purpose. It's this synergy between his subjects and their environments that has made his work particularly influential in the urban art scene.
Furthermore, his involvement with the early hip-hop movement placed him in the rooms with legends like RUN DMC, Beastie Boys, and Public Enemy. Here, Friedman documented a cultural revolution, much like he did with skateboarding and punk. The ethos of hip-hop, its emphasis on authenticity, and its grassroots narrative are parallel to the principles of graffiti art. Many street artists cite the same sources of inspiration that Friedman's photos document: the streets, the music, the struggle, and the raw expression of identity.
Collaborations with artists such as Shepard Fairey have cemented Friedman’s influence in pop culture iconography. Fairey, known for his Obey Giant campaign and the Barack Obama "Hope" poster, has worked with Friedman's photographs, transforming them into stylized artworks that combine the immediacy of street art with the iconography of pop art. These collaborations bridge the gap between the spontaneity of street culture and the curated world of galleries, bringing the energy of Friedman's subjects to a wider audience.
In examining Friedman's work through the lens of pop and street art, it's clear that his photographs transcend the boundaries of mere documentation. They act as catalysts for artistic inspiration, embodying the core tenets of freedom, defiance, and self-expression that define these art forms. His ability to capture the essence of subcultural movements, to tell their stories through a single snapshot, is what makes his body of work a continuing source of inspiration for artists within and beyond the realms of pop, street, and graffiti art.
Enduring Legacy in Artistic Expression
The enduring legacy of Glen E. Friedman in the domain of artistic expression is evident in the way his photographs continue to inform and inspire new generations of artists. By documenting the moments that defined cultural movements, Friedman's work remains a benchmark for authenticity and intensity in visual storytelling. His influence on the aesthetic and thematic elements of pop, street, and graffiti art underscores the power of visual media to encapsulate and communicate the spirit of resistance and community inherent in these art forms.
