Shepard Fairey is not only a force in street art, he’s ubiquitous in our culture, and as the artist behind the Barack Obama Hope poster, how could he not be? His signature designs appear on clothing and collectables, in galleries and on the streets. He even sent a graphic up in space. And long before she was battling with the Associated Press, Shepard Fairey's OBEY imagery was appearing on walls and buildings all over the world. Familiarize yourself with great Los Angeles artist's career with The Art Evolution of Shepard Fairey.
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Early Years
André the Giant Has a Posse
Sticker Bomb
The Manifesto
Alternate Graphics
OBEY
Wheat Paste Nation
Years: Late '80s - Present
Notable works: Toxicity Inspector
Working on a two-inch scale, and having found success with his work on the Cianci billboard, Fairey started pasting his OBEY Giant poster (and versions of it) in larger and larger relief, on more and more billboards, and in more conspicuous locations. This would set the precedent for his later, large-scale works that would become rich with filigree, design elements, and motif. His pieces became layered, complex, multi-dimensional compositions. He shows us how in this late video clip below.