Last week was an exciting one in Berlin. On Thursday, Shepard Fairey opened his exhibition “Photo Synthesis” at Fotografiska.
The show traces his creative journey, from early wheat-paste street pieces and screen printing to digital collage and new works made specifically for this exhibition. It highlights how photography has continually inspired and shaped his artistic evolution, bringing together defining works alongside new creations that continue to transform cityscapes.
The evening began with a performance by Berlin-based garage duo Cava, followed by a Q&A with Shepard Fairey hosted by Lodown Magazine’s editor-in-chief, and longtime friend, Sven Fortmann. After exploring the impressive Fotografiska building and the exhibition itself, the night closed with a DJ set by Shepard Fairey.
With a mild hangover but high spirits, we gathered again the next evening at the OBEY Art Space to celebrate a 30-year friendship between Shepard Fairey’s OBEY and Thomas Marecki’s Lodown. Their shared roots in skate, surf, and street culture, a mix of activism, DIY creativity, and freedom, shaped a generation and continue to inspire today. From Cold War West Berlin to 1990s Southern California, their work has always carried a restless urge to disrupt and connect.
“Today, those signals are fractured. The Pax Americana has crumbled, elites have failed, and trust has decayed.
A reset is no longer optional. It must come from below, through art, through voices unafraid, through new networks of resistance and connection.”
A special print and accompanying tees were created for the occasion. Both are now available at Fotografiska and online via Lodown.
Pictures by Tilman Kerber and Julia Schoierer