Siouxsie Sioux has been a cultural trailblazer and wrecking ball for 50 years, and continues to inspire and push the definition of punk rock far beyond the confines of a narrow style and into a world of creative fearlessness and versatility. I was honored to illustrate this portrait of Siouxsie based on an incredible photograph of her from when she was 21 years old in 1978. The shot was impromptu, on the streets of London's Ladbroke Grove, but Kate captured her in a beautiful way that compelled me to create this piece. I've been a fan of Siouxsie since 1985, when the only artsy girl in my school who was intimidatingly self-possessed and wore nothing but black introduced me to her albums Kaleidoscope and Hyaena. Many Siouxsie songs like "Cities in Dust" and "Spellbound" have a beautiful, haunting quality to them, but her range is vast and her covers of "The Passenger" and "Dear Prudence" are even more exuberant than the original versions. I was also impressed to learn that Siouxsie was an early fan of the Sex Pistols and turned that inspiration into forming a band and becoming a music and fashion icon through courage, talent, and will. I'm lucky to have worked with her and her management on this portrait. I hope you put on a Siouxsie record from your collection or pick one up at your local record store, and explore the goth/punk universe she created!
-Shepard
PRINT DETAILS: Siouxsie, 1978. 24" H x 18" W. Screen print on 80# cream Speckletone paper. Original Illustration based on a photograph by Kate Simon. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Numbered edition of 600. Comes with a Digital Certificate of Authenticity provided by Verisart. $85.
More