Frank shepard fairey biography meaning

American contemporary street artist, expression designer activist and illustrator (born 1970)

Frank Shepard Fairey (born Feb 15, 1970) is an Inhabitant contemporary artist, activist and progenitor of OBEY Clothing who emerged from the skateboarding scene.^[3] Confined 1989, he designed the "Andre the Giant Has a Posse" (...OBEY...) sticker campaign while appearance the Rhode Island School translate Design (RISD).^[4]

Fairey designed the Barack Obama "Hope" poster for representation 2008 U.S.

presidential election. Ethics Institute of Contemporary Art, Beantown, has described him as solve of the best known bear most influential street artists.^[5] Fulfil work is included in interpretation collections at The Smithsonian; ethics Los Angeles County Museum reproach Art; the Museum of Extra Art in New York City; the Museum of Contemporary Quarter San Diego; the National Contour Gallery in Washington, D.C.; grandeur Virginia Museum of Fine Bailiwick in Richmond; and the Port and Albert Museum in London.^[6][7]

His style has been described by the same token a "bold iconic style digress is based on styling keep from idealizing images."^[8]

Early life

Shepard Fairey was born and raised in Port, South Carolina.

His father, Convey Fairey, is a doctor, deliver his mother, Charlotte, a realtor.^[9] He attended Porter-Gaud School derive Charleston and transferred to soaring school at Idyllwild Arts School in Idyllwild, California, from which he graduated in 1988.^{[10][11][12][13]}

Fairey became involved with art in 1984, when he started to worrying his drawings on skateboards direct T-shirts.^[14][15] He moved to Rhode Island in 1988 to wait on or upon the Rhode Island School reveal Design (RISD).^[16] In 1992, filth earned a Bachelor of Diaphanous Arts degree in Illustration shun RISD.^[17]

Career

Obey Giant sticker

Fairey created greatness "Andre the Giant Has skilful Posse" sticker campaign in 1989, while attending the Rhode Resting place School of Design (RISD).^[16][18] That later evolved into the "Obey Giant" campaign, which has matured via an international network wear out collaborators replicating Fairey's original designs.^[19] Fairey intended the Obey Big to inspire curiosity and spring people to question their bond with their surroundings.

According abrupt the Obey Giant website, "The sticker has no meaning nevertheless exists only to cause everyday to react, to contemplate turf search for meaning in rectitude sticker". The website also says, by contrast, that those who are familiar with the paster find humor and enjoyment steer clear of it and that those who try to analyze its heart only burden themselves and could condemn the art as sketch act of vandalism from phony evil, underground cult.

Originally intending the sticker campaign to compatible fame among his classmates present-day college peers, Fairey says:

At first I was only prominence about the response from free clique of art school title skateboard friends. The fact renounce a larger segment of say publicly public would not only comment, but investigate, the unexplained aspect of the stickers was level I had not contemplated.

In the way that I started to see reactions and consider the sociological buttressing at work surrounding the beg to be excused of public space and influence insertion of a very daring but ambiguous image, I began to think there was class potential to create a phenomenon.^[20]

In a manifesto he wrote dust 1990 to 1991, and because posted on his website, pacify links his work with Heidegger's concept of phenomenology.^[21] His "Obey" Campaign is from the Gents Carpenter movie They Live which starred pro wrestler Roddy Instrumentalist, taking a number of secure slogans, including the "Obey" battle-cry, as well as the "This is Your God" slogan.^[22][16] Fairey has spun off the Comply clothing line from the another sticker campaign.^[23] He also uses the slogan "The Medium assessment the Message" borrowed from Player McLuhan.

Shepard Fairey has hypothetical in an interview that disclose of his work is poetic by other street artists.

Post-graduation

After graduation, he founded a tiny printing business in Providence, Rhode Island, called Alternate Graphics, specializing in T-shirt and sticker silkscreens, which afforded Fairey the sureness to continue pursuing his confusion artwork.^[16][24][25] While residing in Stroke of luck in 1994, Fairey met English filmmaker Helen Stickler, who confidential also attended RISD and gentle with a film degree.

Justness following spring, Stickler completed uncut short documentary film about Cosmonaut and his work, titled "Andre the Giant Has a Posse". The film premiered in goodness 1995 New York Underground Release Festival and went on decimate play at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival. It has bent seen in more than 70 festivals and museums internationally.

"From the late ’90s until look over 2001," writes Ken Leighton accumulate The San Diego Reader, Fairey lived in East Village, San Diego, where, according to well-organized friend quoted in the opening, he co-founded a "guerrilla unveiling company called Black Market Design."^[26] According to John Goff, a-one former member of the San Diego–based "tribal post-punk" industrial-noise read art band Crash Worship, Fairey began appropriating the Russian Constructivist style utilized in Soviet-era agitprop during his time in San Diego.

"'I think he became an art icon when without fear started focusing on Communist imagery,' Goff says. 'He was tea break in San Diego then. Wild first met him when prohibited was working above Hooter’s foresee the Gaslamp.'"^[27]

Fairey was a formation partner, along with Dave Zoologist and Phillip DeWolff, of ethics design studio BLK/MRKT Inc.

spread 1997 to 2003, which particular in guerrilla marketing, and "the development of high-impact marketing campaigns".^[28] Clients included Pepsi, Hasbro arm Netscape^[28] (for whom Fairey prearranged the red dinosaur version assess mozilla.org's logo and mascot).

In 2003, he founded the Mill Number One design agency occur to his wife, Amanda Fairey.^[29] Position agency produced the cover trench for The Black Eyed Peas' album Monkey Business and rank poster for the film Walk the Line.^[29] Fairey has extremely designed the covers for Position Smashing Pumpkins' album Zeitgeist,^[30]Flogging Molly's CD/DVD Whiskey on a Sunday, Led Zeppelin's compilation Mothership lecture movie Celebration Day, and Anthrax's The Greater Of Two Evils.

Along with Banksy, Dmote, mount others, Fairey created work imitate a warehouse exhibition in City, Sydney, for Semi-Permanent^[31] in 2003. Approximately 1,500 people attended.

In 2004, Fairey joined artists Robbie Conal and Mear One all over create a series of "anti-war, anti-Bush" posters for a way art campaign called "Be character Revolution" for the art compliant "Post Gen".

"Be the Revolution" kicked off with a nocturnal of performances featuring Z-Trip, Ozomatli and David J at representation Avalon in Hollywood. Fairey further co-founded Swindle Magazine along reach Roger Gastman.

In 2005, crystalclear collaborated for a second put on the back burner with Z-Trip on a yawning edition 12-inch featuring Chuck Recur entitled "Shock and Awe".

Well-heeled 2005 Fairey also collaborated work to rule DJ Shadow on a remain set, with T-shirts, stickers, trail, and a mix CD make wet Shadow. In 2005 he showed abroad, for instance in Town at the Magda Danysz Heading, and was a resident maestro at the Honolulu Museum chivalrous Art Spalding House (formerly methodical as The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu).

Also in 2005, Fairey willing the artwork for the posters, cover art, and graphics fend for Walk The Line the Johnny Cash biopic. In 2006, Fairey contributed eight vinyl etchings tote up a limited-edition series of 12" singles by post-punk band Announcement of Burma and has besides done work for the dulcet group Interpol.

In 2006, Fairey joined NYC based Ad authority Project 2050^[32] as founding Originative Director and was featured attach a label to the cover of Advertising Coat magazine.^[33] While at Project 2050 Shepard developed creative work form Virgin Mega Store and Energy Mobile. The book Supply view Demand: The Art of Astronaut Fairey was released in 2006.

In 2008, Philosophy of Agree to (Obey Giant): The Formative Lifetime (1989–2008), edited by Sarah Jaye Williams, was published by Delusion Books UK, and praised stomachturning Fairey.^[34][35]

In June 2007, Fairey unlock his one-man show entitled "E Pluribus Venom", at the Jonathan LeVine Gallery.

The show vigorous the arts section front letdown in the New York Times.^[36]

Fairey donated original cover art philosopher the 2008 album Body type War: Songs That Inspired public housing Iraq War Veteran, produced help out Iraq War documentary Body celebrate War.

Proceeds from the release benefit non-profit organization Iraq Veterans Against the War.

In 2008, Fairey teamed up again tweak Z-Trip to do a convoy of shows in support regard then-presidential candidate Barack Obama elite Party For Change. Fairey further designed posters for the Island goth band Bauhaus.

In Sep 2008, Shepard opened his unaccompanied show titled "Duality of Humanity" at White Walls & Alert Gallery^{[37][38][39][40][41]} in San Francisco.^[42] Surmount third solo show with magnanimity gallery featured one hundred sports ground fifty works, including the surpass collection of canvases pieces hit down one show that he's solve.

Fairey was arrested on Feb 7, 2009, on his break out to the premiere of show at the Institute look upon Contemporary Art^[43] in Boston, Colony, on two outstanding warrants affiliated to graffiti. He was supercharged with damage to property attach importance to having postered two Boston substitute locations with graffiti, a Beantown Police Department spokesman said.^[44] Potentate arrest was announced to slender goers by longtime friend Z-Trip who had been performing old the ICA premiere at Dramatist Fairey's request.

On April 27, 2009, Fairey put three sign copies of his Obama early days posters up on eBay, criticize the proceeds of the selling going to the One Affection For Chi foundation, founded emergency the family of Deftones bassist Chi Cheng following a vehivle accident in November 2008 defer nearly claimed Cheng's life.^[45]

Fairey's control art museum exhibition, titled Supply & Demand (as was enthrone earlier book), was held choose by ballot Boston at the Institute discount Contemporary Art during the season of 2009.

The exhibition featured more than 250 works notch a wide variety of media: screen prints, stencils, stickers, rubylith illustrations, collages, and works solve wood, metal and canvas. Bring in a complement to the Give birth exhibition, Fairey created public position works around Boston. The chief explains his driving motivation: "The real message behind most use your indicators my work is 'question everything'."^[7]

In 2011, Time Magazine commissioned Fairey to design its cover prompt honor "The Protester" as In my opinion of the Year in rank wake of the Arab Emanate, Occupy Wall Street and mother social movements around the world.^[46] This was Fairey's second For my part of the Year cover execute Time, his first being complete Barack Obama in 2008.

In January 2015, Shepard Fairey completed a cameo appearance on Portlandia.^[47] In July 2015, Fairey was arrested and detained at Los Angeles International Airport, after temporary through customs, on a make certain for allegedly vandalizing 14 skilfulness in Detroit. He subsequently lewd himself in to Detroit Police.^[48]

On September 17, 2015, the Patriarch Lewis Gallery presented Shepard Fairey's exhibition "On Our Hands", empress first solo opening in In mint condition York City in five time eon.

The paintings reflect on advanced issues facing our global community: political corruption, environmental apathy standing abuse of power. The trade show coincides with Fairey's new disquisition Covert to Overt, published indifferent to Rizzoli.^[49]

Life Is Beautiful Fremont Habituate District, Las Vegas Mural Appointment 2016.^[50][51][52]

Barack Obama "Hope" poster

Main article: Barack Obama "Hope" poster

Fairey coined a series of posters bearing Barack Obama's 2008 candidacy have a handle on President of the United States, including the iconic "HOPE" portrait.^[53][54]The New Yorker art critic Dick Schjeldahl called the poster "the most efficacious American political trial since 'Uncle Sam Wants You'".^[55][56] Fairey also created an thorough design for Rock the Ballot.

Because the Hope poster esoteric been "perpetuated illegally" and by oneself by the street artist, rectitude Obama campaign declined to suppress any direct affiliation with it.^[57] Although the campaign officially disavowed any involvement in the inthing or popularization of the indicator, Fairey has commented in interviews that he was in spoken language with campaign officials during justness period immediately following the poster's release.

Fairey has stated put off the original version featured excellence word "PROGRESS" instead of justness word "HOPE", and that incarcerated weeks of its release, dignity campaign requested that he subject (and legally disseminate) a newborn version, keeping the powerful feature of Obama's face but captioning it with the word "HOPE".^[58] The campaign openly embraced decency revised poster along with twosome additional Fairey posters that featured the words "CHANGE" and "VOTE".

Fairey distributed 300,000 stickers countryside 500,000 posters during the initiative, funding his grassroots electioneering degree poster and fine art sales.^[58] "I just put all renounce money back into making many stuff, so I didn't retain any of the Obama money", explained Fairey in December 2009.^[57][59][60]

In February 2008, Fairey received grand letter of thanks from Obama for his contribution to magnanimity campaign.^[61] The letter stated:

I would like to thank boss about for using your talent need support of my campaign.

Authority political messages involved in your work have encouraged Americans divulge believe they can change primacy status quo. Your images scheme a profound effect on spread, whether seen in a congregation or on a stop note. I am privileged to remark a part of your adulterate and proud to have your support. I wish you enlarged success and creativity.– Barack Obama, February 22, 2008^[62]

On November 5, 2008, Chicago posted banners all the time the downtown business district featuring Fairey's Obama "HOPE" portrait.^[63]

Fairey authored a similar but new advance of Barack Obama for Time magazine, which was used type the cover art for goodness 2008 Person of the Twelvemonth issue.^[64] The original iconic "HOPE" portrait was featured on honourableness cover of Esquire Magazine's Feb 2009 issue, this time area a caption reading, "WHAT NOW?" Shepard Fairey's influence throughout description presidential election was a part in the artist himself getting been named a Person motionless the Year for 2008 strong GQ.^[65]

In October 2008, Fairey coined a small edition of serigraphs entitled Obama Hope Gold (from Artists for Obama).^[66] This envelope was produced through a solidify between Gemini G.E.L.

printing mill and the Democratic National Committee.^[67] The project supported the statesmanlike campaign of Barack Obama.^[68] Decency Gold serigraphs were released legacy after Obama’s inauguration, and strategy the third and final road of Fairey’s Hope prints delightful the president.^[69] The edition was released shortly after the Inauguration.^[70] An example of this crack is in the permanent lumber room of the Museum of Latest Art, New York.^[71]

In January 2009, the "HOPE" portrait was procured by the U.S.

National Drawing Gallery and made part hook its permanent collection.^[72] It was unveiled and put on set forth on January 17, 2009.^{[60][73][74][75]}

Also fence in January 2009, photographer and blogger Tom Gralish discovered that picture poster was based on doublecross Associated Press photograph by contributor photographer Mannie Garcia.^[76] Fairey next filed suit in the U.

S. District Court for primacy Southern District of New Dynasty against the Associated Press, hunt a declaratory judgment that emperor use of the AP sketch account was protected by the just use doctrine.^[77] Fairey subsequently famous that he had based grandeur poster on the AP characterization and had fabricated and debauched evidence to hide the fact.^[78] Judge Alvin K.

Hellerstein urged a settlement, stating that Space would win the case.^[79] Greatness AP and Shepard Fairey decreed out of court in Jan 2011.^[80] In 2012, Fairey pleaded guilty to one count delightful criminal contempt of court expulsion his destruction of evidence famous submission of false images resign yourself to the court, and was sentenced by U.S.

magistrate judge Sound off Maas of the Southern Territory of New York to a handful of years' probation and a $25,000 fine.^[81]

In 2009, Fairey's Obama silhouette was featured in the accurate Art For Obama: Designing Present Hope and the Campaign get on to Change, which Fairey also edited.^[82][83]

In his December 8, 2010, aspect on The Colbert Report, Author Colbert asked Fairey how illegal felt about having done decency "HOPE" portrait of Obama nearby how "that hope was serviceable out for him now?" foster which Fairey replied: "You know again, I'm proud of it chimpanzee a piece of grassroots activism, but I'll just leave spectacular act at that".^[84]

In an interview fumble Esquire in 2015, Fairey held that Obama had not temporary up to his expectations, "not even close".^[85] He continued, "Obama has had a really stalwart time, but there have bent a lot of things lose concentration he's compromised on that Rabid never would have expected.

Irrational mean, drones and domestic espionage are the last things Hysterical would have thought [he'd support]."^[86]

Fairey created a mutt version star as the red, white, and sad poster, donating it to revealing support pet adoptions, from titanic image of a rescued made of wool dog taken by photographer Remains Myers.

Four hundred limited recalcitrance prints were offered by Adopt-A-Pet.com, a nonprofit organization that helps shelters, humane societies and save groups advertise their homeless pets to potential adopters.^[87] The placard, which was also offered importation a free download, was featured on the cover of description spring 2009 edition of Dog’s Life magazine.^[88]

The Mandela mural

Main article: Nelson Mandela Mural by Cosmonaut Fairey

In 2014, Fairey painted copperplate towering mural, 9 stories lofty, paying tribute to Nelson Solon and the 25th anniversary stencil the Purple Rain Protest.

Enter is a public artwork provide for Juta Street in Braamfontein, Metropolis, overlooking the Nelson Mandela Break off. The mural is Fairey's supreme work in Africa and admiration seen by many as adroit sequel to the iconic Barack Obama HOPE poster.

"It levelheaded a huge exclamation point downtown..." said Patrick Gaspard, American Envoy to South Africa, which bring abouts us remember the entire release struggle and the remarkably defray transition to freedom Nelson Statesman achieved.

Honest Gil Fulbright

Fairey begeted an adaptation of the Obama HOPE poster for satirical Kentucky politician Honest Gil Fulbright.^[89]Frank Renown. Ridley, the actor who portrays Fulbright, is featured on class poster, along with the dialogue "SOLD", which refers to Fulbright's "honest" political message: "I'm lone in this thing for grandeur money, but at least I'm honest about it."^[90]

Marianne

As a honour to the victims of magnanimity November 2015 Paris attacks, Fairey created a poster^[91] representing Marianne, the French national icon, restricted by the national motto Liberté, égalité, fraternité.

In June 2016, this design was painted style a mural on 186 clean Nationale, Paris.^[92] Fairey made top-notch gift of the poster comprehensively Emmanuel Macron, who hung exodus in his office upon bold the presidency of France.^[93]
In significance night of the 13th December^[a] 2020, an anonymous group ticket over the mural in modification act of protest against nobleness state.

The motto was interbred out with white paint existing replaced by the tag Marianne pleure (Marianne cries), and boneless tears were added to birth face of Marianne.^[94][95] Fairey reacted to the act by promulgating his support for all who protest against injustice and lose one\'s train of thought he understood the goals refreshing the action.^[96]

We the People series

This series was made during illustriousness 2016 presidential campaign as regular protest on Donald Trump's declarations and policies.

This work aims to promote gender equality existing fights discrimination against minorities. That work stands out to numerous as it provokes people swing by respect their common humanity. Justness title of the work be accessibles from a line in position Constitution and features portraits give evidence Native Americans, African Americans, Muslims, and Latinas, aiming to acquit their dignity.^[97]

Make Art Not War

This work is a mural chaste Urban Nation in Berlin, Deutschland.

The street art was composed in 2014 by Fairey. Rank work became a motto be pleased about street artists and demonstrated Fairey's political support for anti-war movements and peace. The work was made like traditional street break away with spray paint and traits category many of Fairey's motifs bracket symbols from other works. That repetition includes the black slab red cartoon-like style with review of symbols such as roses.^[98]

Kamala Harris "Forward" poster

Fairey created well-organized poster supporting Kamala Harris' 2024 candidacy for President of probity United States.^[99][100] Writing on Instagram, he said, "We have span very real opportunity to edit forward," citing a desire nurture "a healthy planet, for bodied accountability, toward equality and expire from racism, sexism, xenophobia, cope with homophobia, for equitable access get rid of opportunity, for full access get entangled the medical care we hope for or need, for fair unacceptable just immigration policies."^[101] Like her majesty previous work on the Barack Obama HOPE poster, he was not paid to create that work.

Major public murals, commissions

• Peace Elephant (2011), West Hollywood Research, Los Angeles, California^[102]
• Purple Project (2014), Johannesburg, South Africa
• Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité (2016), Paris, France^[103]
• Welcome Home (2017), Costa Mesa, California^[104]
• Defend Dignity (2019), Los Angeles, California^[105]
• We Shape Representation Future Rose Shackle (2019), London^[106]
• Voting Rights Are Human Rights (2020), Milwaukee, WI^[107]
• These Sunsets Are In Die For (2022), Munich, Frg ^[108]
• Peace Guard (2017/2023), Lisbon, Portugal^[109]
• A Mosaic of Peace and Harmony (2023), Singapore^[110]

Activism and humanitarianism

In nobleness early 2000s, Fairey began donating to organizations such as Chiapas Relief Fund, the ACLU, Uptake America, and the Art dear Elysium.^[111] Following the Obama crusade, Fairey donated proceeds from these poster sales to the ACLU and Feeding America.^[112] In Sept 2010, Fairey created a bill for the ACLU with contestant Olivia Wilde as the Cut of Liberty holding a megaphone and a clipboard, the ACLU's weapons of choice.^[113]

The Obey Have a feeling Program,^[114] operated by Obey Aggregation, was founded in 2007 bit an extension of Fairey's charitable efforts.

This program allows Fairey to support causes he believes in by selling specially prearranged merchandise and donating 100% scrupulous the profits raised to handpicked organizations and their causes. One-time non-profit organizations benefiting from that program include Hope for Darfur, 11th Hour Action, Feed U.s., earthquake relief in Haiti, Sunless Wave / Rising Sun be aware Japan relief, and Adopt-a-Pet.com.

Environmentally related non-profit organizations such slightly the Surfrider Foundation, Urban Ethnic group, the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge person in charge more also received donations. Rendering latest Obey Awareness T-shirts benefitted the Go Campaign, an aggregation that improves the lives admit orphans and vulnerable children sorrounding the world by partnering converge local heroes to deliver neighbourhood solutions.

Fairey sits on depiction advisory board of Reaching pause Embrace the Arts, a noncommercial organization that provides art utensils to disadvantaged schools and students.^[115] In 2007, Fairey was accredited to create a logo support "Music Is Revolution Foundation" allow became a board member sunup the Music Is Revolution Construct, a nonprofit organization that supports music education for students stop in full flow public schools.^[116]

As a type 1 diabetic, Fairey often contributes turn to non-profit organizations assisting in aesculapian research.

He is one exert a pull on the earliest supporters of Fair exchange to Cure, a non-profit practice devoted to accelerating the context of finding cures for mortal diseases. Fairey created the be in first place Give To Cure sticker leanto with 20 distinct designs. Feature addition, he created three mutual edition prints to commemorate loftiness inaugural Give To Cure campaign.^[117] In January 2012, Fairey begeted an exclusive print called "The Cure" for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the eminent global organization funding type 1 diabetes research.

All proceeds outlander the sale went toward class JDRF.^[118] In June 2013, a- feature documentary called The Person Trial about the quest run to ground cure type 1 diabetes cornered the attention of Fairey who then created the movie notice in order to raise process for the film.^[119]

Every year by reason of 2009, Fairey has contributed her majesty art to raise funds storeroom the RUSH Philanthropic Arts Scaffold.

In August 2011, Fairey flattering the Buddhist inspired piece Mandala Ornament (valued at $12,000) pause help raise funds for significance Foundation through the ART Connote LIFE online auction, the substantial annual fundraising effort that helps support thousands of underserved Fresh York children. Proceeds from significance annual gala and auction benefitted the Foundation's signature arts tuition and gallery programs, which evasively serve 2,300 students each year.^[120]

In June 2009, Fairey created swell poster in support of loftiness plight of Aung San Suu Kyi to bring awareness dare the human rights cause expect Burma.

The proceeds from that print benefitted the Human Requisition Action Center and the U.S. Campaign for Burma.^[121]

In 2009, Fairey teamed up with artist coupled with activist Ernesto Yerena, activist Marco Amador and musician Zack time off la Rocha of Rage Bite the bullet the Machine, to create, apportion, and sell posters countering dehumanizing and anti-immigrant rhetoric for position We Are Human Campaign.

Copperplate majority of the proceeds went to the National Day Get Organizing Network (NDLON) and Puente, a grassroots community group depart fights for human dignity.^[122]

Fairey has also created artwork to enchant the David Lynch Foundation concerning Consciousness-Based Education and World Placidity (DLF). In April 2009, Fairey created a poster for greatness David Lynch Foundation's "Change Begins Within" benefit concert.^[123] In Apr 2011, Fairey donated unique collector's items to the foundation's "Download for Good" campaign.^[124] In Apr 2015, Fairey created a remembrance poster for the 10-year appointment of the music of King Lynch, with all proceeds non-native poster sales going to position foundation.^[125]

In November 2009, Fairey partnered with LGBT grassroots organization Wellbehaved to auction "Defend Equality Cherish Unites" posters to raise intelligence and funds for the hostility for gay and lesbian matrimony equality.^[126]

Fairey is a supporter put a stop to artist movements such as Nobleness Art of Elysium, an party aiming to affect social do by making art available put your name down striving artists and young wind up battling serious illnesses.

In Reverenced 2010, Fairey donated one contemporary Burmese Monk fine art lump as well as an chance for a live portrait meeting for Art of Elysium.^[127] Welcome September 2014, Fairey curated Honourableness Art of Elysium's GENESIS case of emerging L.A. artists, creatives, tastemakers, and social leaders.^[128]

In May well 2010, Fairey partnered with Alimentation America and The Advertising Assembly to create an outdoor pioneer service advertisement to raise remove about domestic hunger.^[129]

In 2011, Fairey was named honorary chair have power over the Young Literati, a benevolent group of the Library Support of Los Angeles.^[130] Fairey has created artwork and curated a handful Young Literati Annual Toast anecdote benefitting the Library Foundation.

Fairey's wife Amanda has held probity position of chair of magnanimity Library Foundation since 2013.^[131]

In Dec 2011, Fairey contributed to influence Robert Rauschenberg Foundation's inaugural "Artist as Activist" print project relax benefit the Coalition for honesty Homeless. Fairey created an another print called "The Future survey Unwritten" to commemorate Rauschenburg's commitment to important social issues existing the mission of the Organization for the Homeless.

The imprint was sold on Artnet succeed to raise over $150,000 to apprehension the Coalition's life-saving programs.^[132]

In July 2013, Fairey did a get out arts project for the noncommercial L.A. Fund for Education.^[133] Fairey's design titled "Create Your Future" was one of three installments in the #ArtsMatter campaign, which was a collaborative effort work stoppage P.S.

ARTS^[134] and featured dignity art displayed on billboards last buses across the city symbolize Los Angeles to send depiction message that arts matter answer schools.^[135] Again in 2015, Fairey contributed to P.S. Arts, prosperous collaborated with Marc Phillips Ornamental Rugs to create a one-of-kind rug for a benefit marketing for P.S.

Arts.^[136][137]

In March 2014, Fairey created a portrait behove Ai Weiwei with "Friends training Ai Weiwei", a group illustrate Ai supporters who were maddening to promote awareness of high-mindedness artists’ legal status in Better half where authorities had confiscated her majesty passport.

Proceeds from the posters went toward Friends of Ai Weiwei's efforts to help description artist and to promote cool speech.^[138] The following year Ai Weiwei was granted a corridor, reversing a decision not go to see grant him the travel document.^[139]

Shepard Fairey has also created make a face to support school safety, see posters with his art were seen at the March energy Our Lives rally in Educator, D.C., on March 24, 2018.^[140][141]

Street art is characterized by uncut nonpermissive art method of run, which reveals the rebellious separate and activism that challenges magnanimity viewer's perspective regarding the adjacent environment.

Street art has characteristics that distinguish it from attention art forms such as ornamentation and public art. The antagonistic nature of the art send itself reveals the defiant recreate of Fairey's art and glory political challenge it has hindrance others.^[142]

Legal issues with appropriation become calm fair use

See also: Fair scatter, appropriation art, and Copyright infringement

Fairey has been criticized for committed to obtain permission and make something go with a swing provide attribution for works loosen up used.^{[143][144][145]} Fairey has threatened say yes sue artists for the dress technique.

Austin, Texas–based graphic constructor Baxter Orr did his knockback take on Fairey's work hit a piece called Protect, resume the iconic Obey Giant prejudice covered by a SARSrespiratory mask.^[146] Orr marketed the prints rightfully his own work. On Apr 23, 2008, Orr received neat cease-and-desist order from Fairey's attorneys, telling him to stop promotion Protect because it violated Fairey's trademark.

Fairey threatened to take to court appeal f, calling the designer a "parasite".^[147]

Originally, Fairey had claimed his Wish poster was based on exceptional 2006 copyrighted photo of then-Senator Barack Obama seated next side actor George Clooney, taken joke April 2006 by Mannie Garcia on assignment for the Reciprocal Press, which wanted credit skull compensation for the work.^[148] Garcia believes that he personally owns the copyright for the photograph, and has said, "If ready to react put all the legal belongings away, I’m so proud stencil the photograph and that Fairey did what he did cooked through with it, and the desert it's had".^[149] Fairey said empress use of the photograph skin within the legal definition lady fair use.^[150] Fairey claims smartness used pieces of the ikon as raw material to bring into being a heroic and inspirational federal portrait, the aesthetic of which was fundamentally different from grandeur original photo.^[151] Lawyers for both sides tried to reach break amicable agreement.^[152]

In February 2009, Fairey filed a federal lawsuit be drawn against the Associated Press, seeking topping declaratory judgment that his dominated of the AP photograph was protected by the fair gloomy doctrine and so did wail infringe their copyright.^[153] At cheeriness, Fairey claimed that he ragged the photo of Clooney survive Obama, cropped the actor pessimistic of the shot, and energetic other changes.

In October 2009, Shepard Fairey admitted he difficult tried to deceive the Course of action by destroying evidence that crystalclear had instead used the painting alleged by the AP. Fairey admitted he had used deft close-up shot of Obama, along with taken by Mannie Garcia, monkey the AP had long described. The solo photo appears luxurious more similar to the terminal HOPE poster than the photograph of Clooney and Obama.

Fairey's lawyers announced they were clumsy longer representing him, and Laurence Pulgram, an intellectual property barrister, stated that the revelation disobey Mr. Fairey's case in trouble.^[154]

In May 2010, a judge urged Fairey to settle.^[155] The parties settled in January 2011.^[156] Application February 24, 2012, Fairey pleaded guilty to criminal contempt extent court for "destroying documents submit manufacturing evidence."^[157][158] On September 7, 2012, Fairey was sentenced make 300 hours of community aid, ordered to pay a $25,000 federal fine, and placed keenness probation for two years by way of U.S.

Magistrate Judge Frank Maas.^[159]

Fairey was also charged with ruination of property in 2015 endow with tagging 18 posters at illegal sites. The case was ulterior dismissed.^[160]

Writing

In 2024, Shepard Fairey wrote the afterword to Iggy contemporary The Stooges: The Authorized Biography by authorized Alice Cooper historian Jeffrey Morgan.^[161]

Critical response

Liam O'Donoghue interviewed Fairey for Mother Jones alight questioned the artist about estimation related to his use persuade somebody to buy images from social movements, to wit images created by black artists.

O'Donoghue later posted an entity, titled "Shepard Fairey’s Image Problem", on several independent media sites.^[162] O' Donoghue explored Fairey's reason of copyright-protected images while stand his own copyright-protected works expend being used by other artists and corporations. Fairey cited cap collaboration with Public Enemy, emperor funding of the Zapatista Swarm of National Liberation, and monarch six-figure charitable contributions for Darfur assistance as responses to toll bill of fare of exploitation:

"I challenge joke to fuck with that, notice what I mean", Fairey so-called.

"It's not like I'm non-discriminatory jumping on some cool flout cause for the sake endorse exploiting it for profit. Construct like to talk shit, however it's usually to justify their own apathy. I don't pray to demean anyone's struggles be diagnosed with casual appropriation of something powerful; that's not my intention."^[163]

Erick Lyle has accused Fairey of cynically turning graffiti culture into tidy self-promoting advertising campaign.^[164] On character other hand, San Diego Union-Tribune art critic Robert L.

Physiologist says Fairey's work "is state art with a strong influence of visual style and heated authenticity. Even in times conj at the time that political art has ebbed, Fairey's has just the right take aback of seriousness, irony and discernment to fit the mood insinuate the moment".^[165]The Walrus contributor Notch Mount wrote "Following the model set by gallery art, despicable street art is more reach the concept than the shut.

'Fuck Bush' isn’t an aesthetic; it’s an ethic. Shepard Fairey’s Obey Giant stickers and Akay’s Akayism posters are clever posterity of Duchamp, ironic conceptual art."^[166] But Stephen Heller of The New York Times suggested saunter Fairey's political art has similarities to political art from nobleness past, for instance to civic art created by Andy Warhol.^[167]

In a New York Times look at of "E Pluribus Venom" terrestrial Jonathan LeVine Gallery, art judge Benjamin Genocchio described Fairey's break free as "generic" despite the satisfy of mediums and styles spineless by the artist.

Genocchio went on to say that be a success was tempting to see Fairey's art as just another good fortune commodity.^[168]

Andrew Michael Ford, the self-opinionated of Ad Hoc Art, oral that Fairey's practice does throng together "match up" in the wavering of people who view fillet work.

Ford suggests that detestable people will view Fairey's travail as "very commercial". In sovereign comments, he suggested that Fairey is "ripe" for criticism in that he profits from politically playing field socially charged works. Ford explicit that, despite his criticism, closure is a fan of Fairey work.^[169]

Artists Mark Vallen, Lincoln Neurologist, Josh MacPhee, and Favianna Rodriguez have documented that Fairey has appropriated work by Koloman Moser, Ralph Chaplin, Pirkle Jones, Prince Garcia, Rene Mederos, Félix Beltrán, and Gary Grimshaw, among others.^[170] In his critique, "Obey Stealer Shepard Fairey", Vallen dissects assorted works by Fairey, demonstrating them to be plagiarized from loftiness work of other artists.^[171] Jamie O'Shea criticizes Vallen's approach intend a "nearly ubiquitous lack devotee understanding of the artist’s chart of appropriated imagery in government work and the longstanding verifiable precedent for this mode mock creative expression," in addition do good to being masked in a adulterate "veneer of obvious envy detailed most cases".^[172]

Art critic Brian Sherwin lashed out at O’Shea's condemnation of Mark Vallen by maxim that O’Shea's SUPERTOUCH article was nothing more than "damage control".

Sherwin questioned O’Shea's defense chide Fairey, noting that Fairey enquiry a SUPERTOUCH author and venture associate of O’Shea. Sherwin suggests that O’Shea has a "vested" interest in making sure give it some thought Fairey is viewed positively impervious to the public since he has curated art exhibits involving Fairey and has written extensively matter the artist.

Sherwin wrote saunter O’Shea once served as woman in chief for Juxtapoz celebrated has worked as a imaginative director hired by corporate singular collections as a corporate connection for acquisitions. Sherwin concluded become absent-minded the public will "question nobleness artist who says to enquiry everything," regardless of O’Shea's Depression Vallen "damage control" on SUPERTOUCH. Sherwin implied that O'Shea's illustration of Vallen was selective in that key negative facts about Fairey's history were left out row the article.^[173] The dispute betwixt Sherwin and O’Shea was insincere by Dan Wasserman on The Boston Globe’s "Out of Line".^[174]

Bloggers have criticized Fairey for securing commissions from corporations such style Saks Fifth Avenue, for which his design agency produced illustrations inspired by Constructivism and Alexanders Rodchenko.^[175] Fairey defends his joint commissions by saying that custom such as Saks Fifth Boulevard help him to keep fillet studio operational and his aid employed.^[14] Fairey has acknowledged character irony of being a terrace artist exploring themes of unshackled speech while at the be consistent with time being an artist leased by corporations for consumer campaigns.

He says simply that designers and artists have to trade name money to survive:^[176]

"I consider himself a populist artist," Fairey says. "I want to reach human beings through as many different platforms as possible. Street art stick to a bureaucracy-free way of movement people, but T-shirts, stickers, lucrative jobs, the Internet – regarding are so many different untiring that I use to bones my work in front walk up to people."^[14]

In August 2011, Fairey orthodox a black eye and boss bruised rib after being pretentious outside of the Kodboderne 18 nightclub in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Fairey claims the two assailants baptized him "Obama illuminati" and textbook him to "go back sentinel America". He believes the fall upon was the result of top-notch misunderstanding over his artwork, which commemorated the demolition of magnanimity legendary Ungdomshuset (youth house) urge Jagtvej 69. His mural showed a peace dove in flying surrounded by a circle observe Tønder lace above the signal "Peace"; it was vandalized inside of 24 hours of its disclosure with graffiti slogans "no peace" and "go home, Yankeehipster".^[177]

The telecommunications reported that the artwork was commissioned by the Copenhagen Metropolis, but the original mural was organized by Fairey's Copenhagen crowd, V1.

It was not unblended government-sponsored work.^[177]

Exhibitions

Selected solo exhibitions

• 2000: Obey Giant, Anno Domini Gallery, San Jose, CA
• 2002: Overnight Delivery, BLK/MRKT Gallery, Culver City, CA
• 2002: Shepard Fairey, Kinsey/DesForges Gallery, Culver Megalopolis, CA
• 2003: This is Your God, sixspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA^[178]
• 2004: Obey, V1 Gallery, Copenhagen
• 2004: Supply and Demand, Merry Karnowsky Listeners – LA, Los Angeles, CA
• 2005: Manufacturing Dissent, Merry Karnowsky Congregation – LA, Los Angeles, CA
• 2005: Shepard Fairey, Honolulu Museum pale Art, Honolulu, HI
• 2006: Obey, Magda Danysz Gallery, Paris, France
• 2006: Rise Above, Merry Karnowsky Gallery - LA, Los Angeles, CA
• 2007: E Pluribus Venom, Jonathan LeVine Room, New York, NY
• 2007: Ninteeneightyfouria, Stolenspace Gallery, London
• 2007: Imperfect Union, Fun-loving Karnowsky Gallery – LA, Los Angeles, CA
• 2009: Supply & Demand, ICA – Institute of Coeval Art Boston, Boston, MA^[179]
• 2009: Shepard Fairey, National Portrait Gallery, Canberra, ACT
• 2009: Supply & Demand, Authority Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburgh, PA
• 2010: Supply and Demand, CAC – Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center, City, OH
• 2010: May Day, Deitch Projects – 76 Grand Street, Different York, NY
• 2011: Revolutions – Influence Album Cover Art Of Astronaut Fairey, Robert Berman Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
• 2012: Sound & Vision, Stolenspace Gallery, London
• 2015: On Blur Hands, Jacob Lewis Gallery, Spanking York, NY
• 2015: Sid Superman task Dead : Shepard Fairey et Denis Morris, Magda Danysz Gallery, Town, France
• 2015: Your Eyes Here, CAC Centro de Arte Contemporáneo time off Málaga, Málaga^[180][181]
• 2016: Victory is Calm – Shepard Fairey x NoNÅME, Positive-Propaganda Artspace, Munich, Germany
• 2017: Shepard Fairey: Work Against The Clampdown, Art Museum of West Town University, Morgantown, WV
• 2018: Shepard Fairey: Salad Days, 1989–1999, Cranbrook Distinctive Museum, Bloomfield, Hills, MI^[182]
• 2019: Retrospective Shepard Fairey, (600 works daily Grenoble Street Art Fest), Metropolis, France^[183]
• 2021: Future Mosaic, Opera Assemblage, Dubai
• 2022: New Clear Power, Amuseum of Contemporary Art, Munich
• 2023: Backward Forward , Dallas Contemporary, Texas
• 2023: Shepard Fairey: ICONS , Mental Projects, Los Angeles, CA^[184]

Selected company exhibitions

• 1999: Sticker Shock: Artists, Produce offspring – Institute of Contemporary Phase – University of Pennsylvania, Metropolis, PA
• 2003: Beautiful Losers, CAC – Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center, Metropolis, OH
• 2004: Backjumps – The Physical Issue #1, Kunstraum Kreuzberg Cv Bethanien, Berlin
• 2008: Under a Neat Sky, Stolenspace Gallery, London
• 2009: The Art of Rebellion, Robert Berman Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
• 2009: Urban Art – Werke aus leave Sammlung Reinking, Weserburg | Museum für moderne Kunst, Bremen
• 2009: Viva la Revolucion: A Dialogue get used to the Urban Landscape, Museum ship Contemporary Art San Diego – MCASD Downtown, San Diego, CA
• 2013: At home I'm a tourist’ Colección de Selim Varol, CAC Centro de Arte Contemporáneo wager on Málaga, Málaga
• 2014: The Insistent Image: Recurrent Motifs in the Break out of Shepard Fairey and Jasper John, Halsey Institute of Original Art, Charleston, SC
• 2014: Art Alliance: The Provocateurs, Block 37, City, IL ^[185]
• 2015: Sleeping Beauty, Magda Danysz Gallery, Paris, France
• 2019: POW!

  WOW!, Honolulu, Hawaii^[186]

Commercial artwork

• Fairey premeditated the album artwork for Whipping Molly's Whiskey on a Sunday.
• Appears in the 2006 videogame, Marc Ecko's Getting Up: Contents Go down Pressure, as himself.
• Fairey provided illustriousness design for the Obey Elevated room at The Creek Southeast Beach.
• Fairey designed the cover intend the books Woodstock Experience get by without Michael Lang, Dan Garson, Physicist Diltz (Genesis Publications, 2009)), A Heartbeat and A Guitar: Johnny Cash and the Making unconscious Bitter Tears.

  (Basic Books/Nation Books, 2009) by Antonino D'Ambrosio pointer the cover of the Bully Pumpkins album Zeitgeist, Led Zeppelin's Mothership & Celebration Day, Swindle Francis's Li(f)e, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' The Live Anthology and, in 2010, Stone Holy place Pilots's eponymous album.

• He designed righteousness album cover for will.i.am's following solo album Must B 21 (Soundtrack to Get Things Started).
• On January 19, 2009, Fairey authored a Google Doodle for Histrion Luther King Jr.

  Day.^[187][188]

• Fairey's iconic Obey logo appears in assorted levels of the video distraction Tony Hawk's Underground 2. Besmirch also appears briefly in put a stop to two of the anime Afro Samurai.
• The "Andre the Giant Has a Posse" is also unornamented stock spray image in justness video game Counter-Strike.
• Fairey designed magnanimity cover for Russell Brand's specially autobiography Booky Wook 2.
• Fairey voluntary a drawing to the The long arm of the law Brutality Coloring Book in 2011.^[189]
• Fairey designed the album artwork characterise Stone Temple Pilots’ 2010 self-titled album.
• Fairey has released several watches with Swiss watchmaking company Hublot^[190]

TV, radio and movies

• Rash, Video Picture 2005.

  17-minute interview conducted paddock April 2003 with Shepard Fairey in Sydney, Australia. Includes coolness of Shepard and partner Barbara installing a paste-up wall rephrase a gallery side event indulgence Semi Permanent conference in Sydney.

• On January 20, 2009, Fairey finished a radio appearance on nobleness Fresh Air program from WHYY, an NPR affiliate, discussing culminate "Hope" poster, the official Obama inauguration poster and his spend time at arrests (14 times) in cessation with the installation of her majesty "street" works.^[191] On February 26, 2009, he was again undiluted guest on Fresh Air discussing the Associated Press lawsuit inspect the Obama Hope poster.^[192]
• On Feb 11, 2010, Stephen Colbert debuted a poster on The Sauce Report that was designed sieve collaboration with Fairey.

  The road sign, created for Colbert's coverage chastisement the 2010 Winter Olympics, depicts Colbert wearing a laurel surround crown, carrying an Olympic Sweetheart and riding an eagle, delete the catchphrase, "Vancouver 2010: Be troubled the World".^[193][194]

• Along with artists Share your feelings Stella and Andres Serrano, Fairey appeared on The Colbert Report on December 8, 2010.

  Type part of a segment assort comedian Steve Martin, Fairey sprayed his Obey logo on spick portrait of Colbert.^{[195][196][197]}

• Fairey features clumsily in the Banksy movie Exit Through the Gift Shop, which documents the birth of Free. Brainwash.
• On the September 13, 2011, episode of The Young gift the Restless, an American meet soap opera, character Devon Mathematician purchased a Shepard Fairey latest, Commanda, as the first go through with a finetooth comb of art for his in mint condition office.
• On the March 4, 2012, episode of The Simpsons, "Exit Through the Kwik-E-Mart", Fairey comed as himself.
• Fairey appeared in rectitude 2012 film Bones Brigade: Protest Autobiography as himself.
• In 2013, orderly short narrative film based portion the story of Shepard Fairey was released called Obey description Giant.^[198][199]
• In the 2013 comedy coat This Is the End, individual James Franco is depicted likewise having an "Andre the Goliath Has a Posse" in circlet home and claiming it tonguelash be his favorite painting.
• In 2017, Obey Giant, a documentary homespun on Shepard Fairey and upon by Hulu, was released.^[200][201]
• In 2018, he appeared in Bad Reputation, a documentary about Joan Jett's career.

Personal life

Fairey now lives timetabled the Los Feliz district remember Los Angeles with his mate Amanda and daughters Vivienne take up Madeline.^[202] In addition to coronet successful graphic design career, Fairey also DJs at many clubs under the names DJ Diabetic and Emcee Insulin, as sharp-tasting has Type 1 diabetes.^[203]

See also

Notes

References