Shepard
Fairey
Shepard Fairey, the street artist behind the OBEY campaign, fuses provocative politics with bold visuals. If you’re looking for original Shepard Fairey prints and editions for sale, or would like to sell, request a complimentary valuation and browse our network’s most in-demand works.
Shepard Fairey art for sale
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Biography
Shepard Fairey, a name synonymous with contemporary Street Art, has redefined the boundaries of visual culture through his politically charged works.
Born in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1970, Fairey's artistic journey began with his involvement in skateboarding subculture, which would later evolve into a foundation for his global artistic impact. His education at the Rhode Island School of Design solidified his graphic style, paving the way for the creation of the OBEY Giant campaign. Marked by a distinct palette and bold imagery, Fairey’s art, challenges and engages audiences globally.
Shepard Fairey's career is a testament to the power of visual art as a tool for social change. Beginning with the André the Giant Has a Posse Street Art campaign in the late 1980s, Fairey developed a visual language that combined elements of graffiti, Pop Art, and graphic design. His work is characterised by the use of red, black, and cream, a palette that became synonymous with his politically charged artworks. The Hope poster, created for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, became an iconic symbol of political change and optimism, securing Fairey’s place in art history.
Printmaking is a cornerstone of Fairey's artistic practice, offering a powerful medium for his socio-political commentary. The screenprint titled Protest Nubian from 2000 exemplifies his bold graphic style, characterized by stark contrasts and limited colour palettes, typically red, black, and white. This piece, like much of Fairey's work, draws from a blend of pop art and propaganda aesthetics, using strong visual impact to provoke thought and challenge sociopolitical power structures.
With his influence extending beyond Street Art, Fairey's work has been exhibited in prestigious institutions including the Smithsonian and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 2009, the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston exhibited a retrospective for the artist. Additionally, Fairey’s large-scale murals and public installations continue to engage global audiences, using art to as a mode of activism. His commitment to addressing pressing social issues through art outlines his motivations as an artist and as an accessible voice for social change.
