2. Bob Gibson (The London Police) 1977. Born
Chelmsford, England. Bob Gibson has always
been fascinated by big cities and architecture.
Growing up, he spent some formative time in
America. Detroit, New York, San Fransisco and
Chicago left a lasting impression. Road trips
were hugely influential. “I liked the lines of cars,
street lamps and telegraph poles, long straight
roads, cruise control, emptiness, truck stops,
petrol stations, fast-food, bridges, and good
music on the stereo. Then, after hours of mo-
notonous driving, a glimpse of the city skyline up
ahead, and the thrill of entering the towering
metropolis; orderly, magical, intimidating, excit-
ing and immense. A living machine, a feast for
the senses.” Fueled by that imagery, he has
been making art about it ever since. Whether it's
a drawing, a piece of writing, a sculpture or an
animation, Bob is constantly inventing fictional
landscapes and scenarios that play on the
power and allure of the city. Bob studied
sculpure at the Norwich School of Art in the east
of England and went on to be a founding
member of The London Police street art collec-
tive, exhibiting work worldwide between 1999
and 2004. After a brief pause and a change in
direction Bob rejoined the collective in 2005 with
his new concept of cityscapes. Bob currently
resides in Amsterdam.
14. The visual codes used by Shepard Fairey, aka
Obey Giant, are worthy of those of Stalinist pro-
paganda, but here they highlight the mecha-
nisms of advertising propaganda which invade
public space. Currently based in Los Angeles,
Fairey's rising success has helped transform his
once homemade Xerox style into lush multi-
colored screen prints.