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Shepard Fairey: Why Protest Art Belongs Everywhere
Shepard Fairey: Why Protest Art Belongs Everywhere
"There's a lot of debate about where protest art should live. My opinion is that it should live everywhere."
In this definitive monologue essay, legendary contemporary street artist and designer Shepard Fairey (the creative force behind OBEY Giant) traces his journey from a punk-rock-obsessed teenager to one of the most influential political artists of the 21st century.
From the viral, mischievous rise of his 1989 'Andre the Giant has a Posse' sticker to the global impact of the Barack Obama 'Hope' poster and the 'We the People' series, Fairey explores how art serves as an essential counter-argument to the dominant culture.
He delves deep into his early artistic influences—from the raw energy of the Reagan-Thatcher era and punk flyers to Barbara Kruger, Russian Constructivism, and Heidegger’s theory of phenomenology. Beyond the gallery walls, he reflects honestly on the physical dangers of his work, detailing his 18 arrests, police clashes, and his lifelong commitment to standing up and speaking out.
Discover the history, the mechanics, and the philosophy of an artist who believes that if something is worth saying, it's worth saying with style.
Themes:
Shepard Fairey is a contemporary street artist, graphic designer, activist, and founder of OBEY Clothing and creative agency Studio Number One. In 1989, while at Rhode Island School of Design studying for his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration, Shepard Fairey created the “Andre the Giant has a Posse” sticker that later evolved into the OBEY GIANT art campaign. In 2008, his portrait of then-Democratic candidate Barack Obama became an internationally recognized emblem of hope. He is known for the “We The People” campaign debuted during the 2017 Women’s Marches worldwide. Fairey has painted nearly 140 public murals, become one of the most sought-after and provocative artists globally, changing the way people converse about art and view the urban landscape.
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