Obama artist gets arrested in Boston for graffiti

Well, make that 15 arrests.

You know the guy who created that red, white, blue image of Barack Obama with the word "HOPE" emblazoned on it? It became so popular that Obama's Presidential Inaugural Committee made it into buttons, pins, posters, just about everything they could attach it to.

Well, he's been arrested. For the 15th time.

The artist, Shepard Fairey, is already in a battle with the Associated Press over the image. They say he violated copyright rules in creating it.

American Graffiti

Now he's in battle with the Boston Police department. According to the Boston Globe, Fairey was arrested last night for graffiti charges.

It wasn't as though they busted him with a can of spray paint dangling over an Interstate. Instead, he was on his way to a reception for his own art show!

You say tomato

The Institute for Contemporary Art, who is hosting the art show, put out a statement and phrased the reason for his arrest a bit differently.

They say he was arrested "in connection with his efforts posting his art in various areas around the city."

Ah, we get it.

We love you man

Regardless, the police "tagged him" with two warrants for posting his "Andre the Giant" art in various parts of the city.

No matter to the ICA. They're just happy to have him - hooligan or not.

"We believe Shepard Fairey has made an important contribution in the history of art and to popular thinking about art and its role in society," reads the release. "We are enthusiastic to be working with him and are pleased to be showing the first museum retrospective of his work."

His work will be on display until August. In the meantime, legal teams representing Fairey and the Associated Press are discussing the copyright infringement issue.

For more on that story, click here.