Shepard Fairey's "Duality of Humanity" opens this weekend at White Walls in San Francisco. Over 100 pieces will go on display with the show marking an evolution for the artist, whose unique form of reverse propaganda emerged from the spirit of the punk movement. With this show, Shepard Fairey touches upon, but also goes beyond the ‘calls to action’ against mindless consumerism and war evidenced in previous shows like Nineteeneightyfouria, E Pluribus Venom and Imperfect Union.

“The difference between this show and the previous ones is that now the optimism of a potential  Obama presidency is in the mix,” Shepard said. His recent work reflects his own personal shift towards a new optimism, a direct result of his involvement with, and inspiration by, the powerful political ideals of Barack Obama.

The title of the show, “The Duality of Humanity,” is inspired by the peace-sign wearing US soldier in Vietnam, ‘Joker,’ in Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket. Fairey sees a strong parallel between the Vietnam war and the Iraq war. Fairey says that this show addresses  the “human struggle between good and bad, hope and fear”.