Shepard Fairey Returns to Aspen with Bold “One Earth” Mural and Exhibition

Last week in Aspen, art by Shepard Fairey appeared across town. Perfectly timed to this year’s edition of Aspen Art Week, the Los Angeles-based creator unveiled a site-specific mural named One Earth on the exterior of the Exxon gas station on Main Street, opened an exhibition under the same name at 212GALLERY, and presented a collection of over 100 works in collaboration with the gallery at Intersect Aspen, Studio Como, and The Snow Lodge at The St. Regis. Special for those attuned to Anderson Ranch’s talk schedule, Fairey also appeared for a discussion in Schermer Meeting Hall to speak about his creative practice and his ongoing relationship with Aspen.

“Shepard’s return to Aspen isn’t just an art moment—it’s a cultural milestone,” said Katie Kiernan, founder of 212GALLERY, and Kate Redwing, gallery director. “This project celebrates Aspen’s creative spirit and adds to the town’s visual legacy in a lasting and meaningful way. For one small town to host two Shepard Fairey murals is extraordinary and a testament to the families and community members helping make it happen. We are deeply grateful.”

Kiernan—who has had a working relationship with Fairey for the past 15 years and exclusively represents his work in Aspen—is also celebrating 20 years of her gallery with this presentation. Like Fairey’s new mural and exhibits in Aspen, 212GALLERY represents growth, meaning, and community.  “One Earth is a powerful reminder that we all share this one extraordinary home—there’s no backup planet,” Kiernan shared with Whitewall. “The title drives that point home: we have a collective responsibility to care for our world, and to nurture the communities we live in. Especially in a place like Aspen, where nature surrounds and inspires us everyday. One Earth is both a celebration and a call to action—a reminder that what we do locally matters globally, and that through art, we can inspire awareness, connection, and stewardship.”

“We wanted our 20 year anniversary celebration to be about saying thank you to our community and trusted clients. With this week-long celebration, and especially this public mural, is our way of saying thank you to our town and all the incredible people who have supported us along the way. Shepard Fairey is one of those people,” she added. “He gave us a chance back in 2010, and his presence elevated our gallery’s programming and collector base to an entirely new level. He believed in us when we were still a young gallery, fell in love with Aspen, and has continued to give generously to this community—from donating works to Anderson Ranch to helping raise $85,000 for Aspen Education Foundation this past December. Who better to celebrate 20 years with than Shepard?”

For the unveiling of the mural on July 25, John Doyle, an artist and the Mayor Pro Tem of Aspen, presented Fairey a hand-carved wooden key to the city and named the date Shepard Fairey Day in the city. Locals and global supporters from the art and culture world joined to celebrate the milestone, and reconnected over the week at each of Fairey’s pop-ups.  

Fairey sat down with Whitewall to discuss this monumental city-wide takeover and why he remains persistent in featuring the good, the bad, and the beautiful to spark change.  

Shepard Fairey Shares “One Earth” in Aspen

WHITEWALL: Your return to Aspen with “One Earth” marks a major cultural moment for the town. What drew you back to this specific community, and how did your 2018 experience shape this new body of work and mural?

SHEPARD FAIREY: 2018 was my first trip to Aspen, and I had a fantastic time because Aspen is not only extraordinarily beautiful, but the people I spent time with were all friendly, generous, and concerned with issues that I care about, like social and environmental justice. I was excited to come back to Aspen for those reasons, but also because my work has evolved and our political situation has devolved. I think that the issues that I care about are more important than ever to communicate and hopefully resonate with like-minded people who have some resources to support forward motion on what I’d like to see us all address.

“The issues that I care about are more important than ever to communicate…”

—Shepard Fairey

WW: You’ve said that Aspen’s natural beauty is a reminder of why you highlight environmental concerns in your work. How did that inspiration manifest in the design of the new mural—especially considering its themes of symbiosis and interconnectedness?

SF: A person can’t visit Aspen without being in awe of its natural beauty. I’ve only ever been in the summer, but I hear it’s equally breathtaking in the winter. We need to realize that the factors contributing to the health and beauty of a place like Aspen are very delicate and require vigilant maintenance. My mural aims to convey these ideas in a clear and non-intrusive manner, particularly through the use of a symbol like the “cultivate justice” logo, which features the scales of justice with a flower growing out of it. The Oriole is perched on a branch with oil dripping from it, which is meant as a reminder that there are threats to the symbiosis of the natural ecosystems. 

“A person can’t visit Aspen without being in awe of its natural beauty.”

—Shepard Fairey

WW: The concept behind “One Earth” leans into unity, transformation, and harmony with nature. How do you balance those themes with the more rebellious, confrontational elements of your past work?

SF: I still believe it’s important to call out the villains, but I don’t always feel that being controversial or promoting an us-versus-them mentality is the most successful way to shift people’s ideas. Woven into many of the pieces from “One Earth” are symbols and narratives of the threats to nature and harmony, but the imagery that makes the dominant first impression is more about connecting to universal ideas of beauty, hope, harmony, growth, and possibility. At this point in my life and career, I embrace a blend of punk and hippy. 

“I still believe it’s important to call out the villains…”

—Shepard Fairey

Inspired by Nature, Surrounded by Nature

WW: The mural’s design was kept secret until its public unveiling. How did you approach creating something site-specific for downtown Aspen with this in mind?

SF: Even though this mural is imagery specifically for the Aspen mural, it contains elements that are recurrent motifs within my work that fortunately feel very fitting to the elements of nature found in Aspen. Art allows an amazing trick where each viewer can feel like the piece speaks to them specifically, and then they feel a bond with it personally and with it as it exists in a specific context. I have found that people worldwide, across different cultures and perspectives, find aspects of the work that resonate with them locally, as well as elements that resonate almost universally or globally. Art is an amazing psychological chameleon. 

“Art is an amazing psychological chameleon.”

—Shepard Fairey

WW: Throughout the week, your work will be shown across multiple venues—from Studio Como to The Snow Lodge to Intersect Aspen. How does context shift your approach when presenting the same body of work in a traditional gallery setting versus a music-driven space or public fair?

SF: My approach isn’t all that different, but each space requires some adaptation. I’ve often been asked how I can possibly be a street artist and a gallery artist. Since art is about visual problem-solving and adaptation, that question feels very odd to me. The answer is somewhat self-revealing with each successful installation, maybe it’s second-nature to me now because I’ve been doing it for so long. All that being said, the public art is extremely important to me because it’s accessible to people who don’t bother going to galleries or art fairs. Public art also needs to be larger scale to make an impact in a visually cluttered urban setting.

Shepard Fairey’s Latest Mural in Aspen

WW: You’ve created more than 130 public murals worldwide. How does this Aspen mural compare to others in terms of scale, symbolism, or public engagement?

SF: The Aspen mural is a medium-sized mural, but its location and one hundred and eighty degree view, being on a curved surface, makes it a pretty unique and special mural to me. Aspen is not a very edgy or gritty place, so the mural, like the “One Earth” show, is geared toward harmony, but I do think that it stands out and makes a strong statement. I know that people from Aspen felt that way too because dozens per day stopped to talk to me and my assistants as we were working—asking questions and thanking us for gifting something beautiful to the town. I’m used to at least a few negative comments from passing hecklers, so I started to feel like I was living in The Truman Show. This could be a testament to how consistently nice people are in Aspen, but maybe I’m too suspicious to believe that.

WW: Music plays an ongoing role in your creative identity—from designing album art to performing DJ sets. How does your relationship with music influence your visual art, particularly in an exhibition like this that spans both forms?

SF: Punk rock, reggae, and hip-hop were huge creative and philosophical influences for me. Listening to music like that was the first time I considered the potential of art to be something enjoyable but also thought-provoking. Music happens to be incredibly democratic, as well, which inspired me to try to make my visual art democratic; plus, self-produced in the vein of the do-it-yourself ethos of punk rock. 

Art Past Prejudices

WW: At a time when division often dominates public discourse, you’ve described art as a vehicle to spark more nuanced conversations. What do you hope Aspen viewers take away from this moment—visually, emotionally, or ideologically?

SF: I hope the art can get past political prejudices and connect with people’s essential humanity, which is the most important part of them caring about each other and the earth. If the more generous side of people’s nature can be reached through something that resonates emotionally, I believe productive, open-minded conversations can happen. I understand that this is an idealistic and some may say naive ambition, but I refuse to give in to cynicism and bitterness. Luckily, art is the best vehicle for hope, and it’s therapeutic in my creative process and keeps me from feeling powerless, by giving me a voice for my ideas.

“Art is the best vehicle for hope.”

—Shepard Fairey

WW: What are you working on next?

SF: I have an upcoming mural later this summer in Philadelphia and a big collaborative show at Newport Street Gallery in London with Invader and Damien Hirst. I can’t reveal much about that at the moment, but the title is “Triple Trouble” and it opens October 10 in London.