Born: February 15, 1970, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Nationality: American
Style: Street Art, Graphic Design
Influences: Propaganda posters, punk rock, skateboarding culture
"The medium is the message."
Notable Artwork
Obey Giant (various)
About Shepard Fairey
Born: February 15, 1970, Charleston, South Carolina, USA Nationality: American Style: Street Art, Graphic Design Influences: Propaganda posters, punk rock, skateboarding culture Major Exhibitions: “Obey Giant” (various), “Supply and Demand” (2009), “Covert to Overt” (2015) Quote: “The medium is the message.” Website: https://obeygiant.com/
Notable Artwork: Obey Giant (various)
The Obey Giant campaign began with stickers featuring a stylized image of the wrestler Andre the Giant and the word “OBEY.” Fairey expanded the campaign to include posters, stencils, and murals, spreading the image globally.
Significance
Fairey’s Obey Giant project is a seminal example of street art as a form of social and political commentary. It explores themes of propaganda, power, and the manipulation of public space. The campaign’s ambiguous meaning encourages viewers to question authority and the messages they are bombarded with daily. His Hope poster of Barack Obama is another significant, related work.