Shepard Fairey’s Death Cab Collab and Latest Trek Bike Design

Shepard Fairey first collaborated with Lance Armstrong in 2009, designing a TREK Madrone bicycle in the iconic yellow and black colors of Armstrong’s charity, Livestrong. Armstrong’s team rode it in the Giro d’Italia before it went for over $100,000 in an auction benefiting Livestrong. Now, Fairey’s at it again, this time working in his signature red and black tones. Armstong and Team RadioShack are currently riding these Trek Madone 6.9 SSL bikes on the Tour of California. Below, an interview with great shots of the bike from inside Fairey’s Studio Number One at Sunset and Elysian Park Ave.

But wait, there’s more. Shepard Fairey was approached by Death Cab for Cutie bassist Nick Harmer to reinvent the band’s upcoming single, “Home is a Fire” as a video with lyrics appearing as street art across the Echo Park cityscape:

Fairey posted a thoughtful essay on the experience at his Obey blog, excerpted here:

One’s relationship with home might be complicated, but ultimately it can be a two-way dialogue, of which we can at least affect one-way. The city can be an impersonal place, imposing, simultaneously anonymous and claustrophobic. However, there are opportunities for us to affect the city(and life) experience rather than accepting things as passive voyeurs.

“Home is a Fire” appears on Death Cab’s Codes and Keys album, out May 31 on Atlantic.

Originally posted at LAist on May 18, 2011.