Though he’s now more known for his earnest interpretations of old-school political posters, designer Shepard Fairey first, of course, gained noteriety with his ironic/absurdist interpretations of authoritarian propaganda, with his Obey Giant viral campaign. Ironic and cool, in a particularly American sense that I both find attractive and uncomfortable, kind of the way I feel about ironic t-shirts after travelling in Africa and seeing them everywhere, courtesy bales of donated and resold used American clothing (shirt on a kid begging from me at the bus depot in Vilankulos, Mozambique: “There’s only one thing to make for dinner: Reservations!”). The more I learn, the more I wonder about the effort we put into being connoisseurs of manufactured irony. There’s real stuff out there that’s so much more amazing
Alowo Majaiye Aiye Laba Ohun Gbogbo Rora Gba Mi Lowo Ota
Ma Di Oni Kanra
Ile Baba MI
Miliki Pepeiye Bimo
Maje Nyo Aiye Wa
Baiye Nsata
Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey and his Miliki Sound , cassette from Nigeria, posted to Awesome Tapes from Africa, 4 October 2008