The trip to Milan for my Obey Giant show at Fabbrica Del Vapore has been action packed. I’m tired but incredibly happy about how everything turned out and very grateful for the tremendous enthusiasm from the city of Milan. The crew and I were able to beat some rainy weather and complete my 11 storey “Tear Flame Peace” mural by working long hours for 3 days straight within the framework of the urban art festival “Manifestival,” promoted by the Arrigo and Pia Pini Foundation. Peace is a persistent theme in my work but is especially relevant now with the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. I’m very grateful to Orticanoodles and WIT Design Studio and their crew of Mario and Wally who helped facilitate the project and provide such a great mural wall in collaboration with Wunderkammern Gallery! I’m also very grateful for the hard work from my crew of Nic Bowers, Dan Flores, Rob Zagula, and Jon Furlong (who also shot the photos), plus press efforts by Victoria Yarnish. The mural was hard work, especially with the pressures of bad weather. We also did a great event with Obey Clothing at the Blak Shop store with an amazing local DJ Alessandro “Sgamo” Nuzzo. Lastly, thank you to the Wunderkammern Gallery team for the incredible job they did presenting a career survey and new body of work featuring 330 pieces of my art. Thank you also to Deodato Arte Gallery for their support. Please check out the show at the Fabbrica Del Vapore if you are in the Milan area!
-Shepard