Shepard Fairey is an American graphic artist and social activist who is part of the Street Art movement along with other artists including Banksy and Mr.Brainwash. Fairey blurs the boundary between traditional and commercial art through type and image, communicating his brand of social critique via prints, murals, stickers, and posters in public spaces. “Art is not always meant to be decorative or soothing, in fact, it can create uncomfortable conversations and stimulate uncomfortable emotions,” he stated. Born on February 15, 1970 in Charleston, South Carolina, Fairey graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1992 where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in illustration. In 1989 Fairey created the André the Giant Has a Posse sticker campaign, featuring a stylized image of the wrestler André the Giant. This project  was the foundation for his seminal Obey series, which helped to push Fairey into the public spotlight. The artist is perhaps best known for his Hope (2008) campaign, which portrays a portrait of then-presidential candidate Barack Obama, in red, white, and blue. In 2017, the artist created a series of three posters— featuring portraits of culturally diverse women, again using a red, white, and blue color scheme—in response to the xenophobic rhetoric of President-elect Donald Trump. Fairey currently lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. His works are included in the collections of the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Shepard Fairey is an American graphic artist, activist, and pivotal figure in the Street Art movement, celebrated for his bold visual language and politically charged imagery. Alongside artists such as [Banksy](https://fairart.com/artists/banksy/1229) and [Mr Brainwash](https://fairart.com/artists/mr.-brainwash/1274), Fairey helped shift street art into mainstream cultural consciousness through murals, stickers, prints, and public interventions that merge typography, propaganda aesthetics, and social critique. Born in Charleston, South Carolina in 1970, he studied illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 1992. Fairey first gained widespread attention with his 1989 André the Giant Has a Posse sticker campaign, which later evolved into his landmark Obey series. This project established the foundation of his visual identity and paved the way for his global influence. He is perhaps best known for Hope (2008), the red, white, and blue portrait of Barack Obama that became an iconic symbol of the presidential campaign and one of the most recognisable political images of the twenty-first century. In 2017, he produced a series of posters featuring diverse women in response to xenophobic rhetoric during the U.S. election cycle. Fairey’s works are held in major institutions including the Smithsonian, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, reflecting the enduring power of his artistic and activist legacy.

## About Shepard Fairey (Obey)

Shepard Fairey’s artistic practice grew out of skateboarding culture, punk design, and DIY creative ethos. After his time at the Rhode Island School of Design, he continued to expand the reach and scale of his work through public space interventions and independent printmaking. His Obey campaign, derived from the André the Giant sticker, explored themes of power, influence, and the psychology of propaganda, encouraging viewers to question authority and examine how imagery shapes public perception.

Throughout his career, Fairey has blended commercial, graphic, and fine art aesthetics, embracing both street-level distribution and gallery exhibition. His posters, murals, and prints circulate widely, often addressing social justice concerns including environmental activism, anti-war sentiment, racial equality, and human rights. Today he lives and works in Los Angeles, where he continues to produce artworks and large-scale public projects that challenge cultural narratives and promote civic engagement.


Shepard Fairey (Obey)

American

Love him. Hate him. Adore or despise him. Few would deny that Damien Hirst is one of the most contentious figures in the industry. He’s a master at pissing people off, while also managing to maintain a cultish following. Is this divisiveness not exactly what he wants? People love talking about him - does that make him a good artist? The jury’s still out and probably never coming back with a definitive answer, but you do sense that he lives for the noise, and perhaps most importantly, it lets him keep the water and gas running in his humble abode(s).

Hirst’s work has rarely stood still throughout his career. He burst onto the scene in the late ‘80s alongside other YBA’s (Emin, Quinn, Whiteread, Hume, etc.) under the patronage of Charles Saatchi. His formaldehyde works came to epitomise the British art scene of the time, and of course, proved deeply controversial. As did his £50 million diamond skull made of real human teeth and 8,601 pavé-laid diamonds… And how about his Tate retrospective in 2012 that led to the death of 9,000 butterflies?

His pharmacy works carry an eyebrow-raising similarity to Joseph Cornell’s works in the ‘40s and you could say his dot paintings have a lot of overlap with Thomas Downing’s work in the mid ‘60s, but then again don’t all great artists steal, not borrow? Most recently, his burning of millions of pounds worth of art during the cost of living crisis, as part of his NFT Currency project, caused even more offence to some.

In spite of all this, his popularity seems to feed on his controversy and as people continue to flock to his shows and spend immense sums on his work, we don’t see signs of that changing anytime soon.

Damien Hirst: “All my favourite artists from the past, the way they move forwards is what interests me … And the way they stop being one thing, like the Beatles – the way they totally reinvented themselves and changed into something else”.

Love him. Hate him. Adore or despise him. Few would deny that there are controversies around Damien Hirst as one of the most contentious figures in the industry. He’s a master at pissing people off while also managing to maintain a cultish following. Is this divisiveness not exactly what he wants? 

Damien Hirst is now a blue-chip artist whose work now dominates the contemporary print market, offering art collectors of all levels the chance to own a piece by one of the most influential artists of our time. Explore our collection to discover a range of Hirst’s works from accessible prices to iconic works.

## About Damien Hirst

Damien Hirst is a contemporary British artist whose work has rarely stood still throughout his career. Beginning in the 1980s, his prominence on the art scene has stood the test of time. Hirst’s plans for artwork releases after his death show he is an artist who is not going anywhere. 

He burst onto the scene in the late ‘80s alongside other [Young British Artists (YBA’s)](https://fairart.com/editorial/insights/young-british-artists-redefining-contemporary-art/179).  Exhibitions such as Freeze in 1988 brought together 16 students from Goldsmiths, University of London, under the tutelage of [Michael Craig-Martin](https://fairart.com/artists/michael-craig-martin/2331) were pushing boundaries and putting British artists back on the cultural map. The YBA’s under the patronage of Charles Saatchi grew to include artists such as Tracey Emin, Marc Quinn, [Rachel Whiteread](https://fairart.com/artists/rachel-whiteread/2324), [Gary Hume](https://fairart.com/artists/gary-hume/1244) and Sarah Lucas, building the BritArt movement.

From this point, his work has expanded, taking over the global market, where you can now buy pieces from his most famous series to more affordable works, allowing you the chance to join the Damien Hirst art market.

Damien Hirst

British

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