APPOART

“I think that art has the ability to capture people’s imaginations and make them think that more is possible”

Shepard Fairey is a highly influential American street artist, graphic designer, and activist. Some key facts about him:

He was born on February 15, 1970 in Charleston, South Carolina and graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1992 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. 

Fairey first gained attention in the late 1980s for creating a sticker with a portrait of the wrestler André the Giant and the word “Obey”. This launched his “Obey” street art campaign, which combined pop art, propaganda, and subversive messaging.

Fairey is perhaps best known for his iconic 2008 “Hope” poster depicting then-presidential candidate Barack Obama. This poster received widespread attention and the Brit Insurance Design of the Year Award in 2009. 

Fairey’s work combines elements of graffiti, pop art, and political activism. He has created murals, screen-prints, stencils, and other artwork addressing social and political issues like environmentalism, racism, and economic inequality.

Fairey has held numerous solo and group exhibitions around the world. In 2019, a major retrospective of his work titled “Facing the Giant: Three Decades of Dissent” was exhibited in several cities. 

In addition to his artistic work, Fairey is a dedicated activist. He has donated proceeds from his artwork to causes like Black Lives Matter and the ACLU, and founded the Obey Awareness Program to support various humanitarian efforts.

Artistic style:

Fairey’s style blends elements of street art, propaganda, and pop art, often using stencils, screen-printing, and collage techniques.

He is heavily influenced by the punk rock and skateboarding subcultures he was immersed in during the 1980s and 1990s.

Fairey’s work draws inspiration from artists like Andy Warhol, Barbara Kruger, and Banksy, as well as political propaganda and Soviet-era poster design.

Most popular works:

1. Hope (2008): Fairey designed a poster featuring a portrait of then-presidential candidate Barack Obama, which became a cultural icon and symbol of the 2008 U.S. presidential campaign.
2. AR-15 Lily (2022): this silkscreen on paper shows a white lily emerging from an AR-15 rifle, symbolizing the artist’s opposition to war and violence. The work highlights Fairey’s commitment to addressing social and political issues through his art.
3. Ideal Power (2018): this silkscreen on paper focuses on gender inequality, using terms like “equality,” “revolución,” and “power” to emphasize the need for change. The work is part of Fairey’s ongoing efforts to address social and political issues through his art.

These are just some of the most important works that Fairey has made during his career.

Exhibitions:

Shepard Fairey will be having his first solo exhibition in Italy at the Fabbrica del Vapore in Milan from May 16 to October 27, 2024. 

The exhibition, titled “OBEY: The Art of Shepard Fairey”, will be a comprehensive retrospective showcasing Fairey’s 35-year career. It will feature a rich collection of works personally selected by the artist. 

The exhibition will be curated by Fairey himself, in collaboration with the Wunderkammern gallery. It is co-produced by the Fabbrica del Vapore with the support of the City of Milan. 

The exhibition will be divided into five thematic sections, exploring Fairey’s iconic imagery and bold, minimalist style influenced by hip-hop and punk cultures. These sections will focus on themes of propaganda, peace and justice, music, environmentalism, and new works. 

Through an immersive experience, the exhibition aims to provide visitors with Fairey’s unique perspective and encourage deep reflection on current social and political issues that his art often addresses, such as human rights, abuse of power, and environmental protection. 

The selection of the Fabbrica del Vapore as the venue for this exhibition is significant, as the former industrial site refused to convert its production to war-related products during World Wars I and II, aligning with Fairey’s pacifist and justice-oriented messages. 

The exhibition is being promoted by the Deodato Group, an Italian art company with galleries across Europe, which represents internationally renowned artists like Fairey.