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

In the late 1990s, anonymous French artist Invader began cementing and gluing ceramic mosaic Space Invaders—pixelated characters from the eponymous 1978 video game—across the streets of Paris. He expanded his roster to include Pac-Man ghosts and other popular 8-bit characters, and his works now adorn cities around the world, from Los Angeles to Kathmandu. Along with these clandestine works of street art, Invader has produced mosaics on Perspex panel, plywood, and book covers. He has also created paintings, drawings, and screenprints in his signature pixelated style. These works regularly sell for six figures on the secondary market. In 2019, astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti brought one of Invader’s works to the International Space Station, about 248 miles above Earth. Invader has exhibited internationally, with shows in Los Angeles, Paris, Brussels, and Hong Kong, among other cities.

Love street art? Love remembering gaming? Either way, you have most likely experienced the work of Invader, even if you didn't know it. Invader is a French street artist and somewhat of an enigma. He has invaded over 100 cities worldwide, with his unmistakable pixelated ceramic mosaics placed onto walls, bridges, and buildings in urban guerrilla "invasions". Invader's works, generally inspired by 1970s and 1980s video gaming, and more specifically, Space Invaders, slip into the intersection of retro-pop culture, tech, and urban insurgency.

Anonymous and unmistakable, Invader has resulted in a cult-like following from collectors and gamers alike. His mosaics and limited edition studio works are now found at major auctions, making owning a piece of Invader no longer just an urban myth, but a legitimate piece of art investment. Check out our collection of Invader works by taking a look at our artworks for sale, from coveted mosaics to his _Rubikcubist_ works, which are all authenticated and ready for purchase.

## About Invader

Invader is a mystery laid down with ceramic tiles. He was born in France in the late 1960s or 1970s (we think) and studied at a Parisian art school. He began what he referred to as urban acupuncture: a small episodic instalment of tiled mosaics based on 8-bit video game characters, as part of the fabric within cities. He started his first documented 'invasion' in Paris in 1998, and he has never stopped since.

Invader works at night and has "invaded" over 80 cities around the world, including New York, Tokyo, and Kathmandu. Each mosaic is geotagged and catalogued in a digital archive, often with accompanying scores in a gamified global project. They aren't just works of art, but missions too.


Invader

French

Main