Photograph
by Michael Tighe.
The
Ali Foundation and Photographer Michael Tighe receive
a portion of the revenue from sales of this print.
Online
Release Date: May 13, 2010
Limit
1 Per Person/Household
Artist
Statement
“I’m
not a big fan of boxing, or organized sports in general,
but athletic competition can highlight an inspiring
human spirit to triumph over great odds. Muhammad Ali
embodies that spirit, and his dogged tenacity led him
to three heavyweight titles. He also has a charismatic
personality who influenced more than boxing. Ali was
a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War and his
boastful wordplay is considered a predecessor to rap.
I wanted to do an Ali portrait for years, but I was
worried about legal issues until I was conveniently
commissioned to create a portrait.”
- Shepard Fairey
Shepard
Fairey is a contemporary artist, graphic designer,
and illustrator. He first became known for his "André
the Giant Has a Posse" sticker campaign, in which
he appropriated images from the comedic super market
tabloid Weekly World News. His work became more widely
known in the 2008 U.S. presidential election, specifically
his Barack Obama "HOPE" poster. The Institute
of Contemporary Art, Boston calls him one of today's
best known and most influential street artists. His
work is included in the collections at The Smithsonian,
the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of
Modern Art in New York, and the Victoria and Albert
Museum in London. Click here
to contact Mr. Fairey.