Shepard Fairey

PROVENANCE: Courtesy of the Artist

 

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. Since then, Fairey has
painted more than 105 public murals, become one of the most sought-after and
provocative artists in the world, and changed the way people converse about art and
view the urban landscape. Shepard and Amanda Fairey founded Make America Smart
Again to empower individuals to use their brains and their voices and vote in every
election.