Shepard Fairy: from humble beginnings as a defiant,
skateboard-obsessed art student,
he has developed into one of the most
influential street artists of our time.
Shepard Fairy, is the
mastermind behind the obscure
street posters, stickers and
stencils that combined the
words "Andre the giant has a
posse". With the visage of
deceased wrestling superstar,
Andre the Giant. By the early
1990’s the incomprehensible
images had become ubiquitous
in major urban centers around
the world, but in 1993 Titan
Sports, Inc.(now World Wrestling
Entertainment, Inc.)threatened to
sue Fairey for violating their
trademarked name, Andre the Giant.
Fairy responded to this threatening
lawsuit by altering the image of
Andre and incorporation the word
"obey" self-titled "absurdist propaganda"
This poster widely described as
iconic, became synonymous with
the 2008 Obama presidential
campaign.The design was created
in one day and printed first as
a poster. Fairey sold 350 of the
posters on the street immediately
after printing them. It was then
more widely distributed—both as
a digital image and other
paraphernalia—during the 2008
election season,initially
independently but with the approval
of the official Obama campaign.
The image became one of the
most widely recognized symbols of
Obama's campaign message, spawning
many variations and imitations,
including some commissioned by
the Obama campaign.
Fairey is a street artist who
speaks out against the abuse
of power and militarism while
supporting people of color
and women who seek equity.
Given the recent erosion of
the United States’ moral
reputation and economic status
as a super power, the social
and political criticism of
Shepard Fairey’s street art
becomes more poignant.His
installation entitled
“Mujer Fatal” (2007) is a
blend of love, sensuality,
and police order. Wishful
thinking and reality are played
out in a conflicted political
arena where many nations resist
the domination of a super power.
They are caught in a dilemma
between envying and rejecting
the materialistic wealth of
contemporary America.
http://artwelove.com/artwork/-id/1ecc3394
Fairey’s “Obey” series stands
out as an example of the
authoritarian influence of
propaganda poster art. In
Benito Mussolini’s fascist
Italy (1922-43) the credo of
the Fascist party was
“believe, obey, fight” (
Credere, Obbedire, Combattere
in Italian). Fairey’s posters
combine elements of world
history, blending fascist
symbols with the communist
propaganda art of the former
Soviet Union, the People’s
Republic of China, Vietnam,
and the imperialistic goals
of modern Japan (1895-1945).
His poster art reminds viewers
of the 1960’s mythology of a
peaceful and bountiful life style
in America, which was envied by
some and despised by others less
fortunate. It takes time to digest
the contradictions of Fairey’s
sweet young girl in “War by Numbers
(2007). The girl is holding a hand
grenade topped with a bright red
rose. She smells the rose’s scent
while bombers fly overhead. The
juxtaposition of sniffing a rose
while holding a hand grenade is so
loud that the viewer can almost
hear the drone of the warplanes This
poster contains psychological tension
created by the conflicting images of
sight, smell, and sound. Fairey
successfully blends and bonds
contradictory elements in his posters.
http://obeygiant.com/shows/duality-of-humanity/war-by-numbers-mural
