birth name: Frank Shepard Fairey born: February 15, 1970 in Charleston, South Carolina. 1988: graduated from Idyllwild Arts Academy 1992: graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with bachelors in Fine Arts and Illustration Before all of the fame: Shepard Fairey was A typical graffiti artist who was going out late at night spray painting, putting stickers on street signs and running from the cops. Fairey started these graffiti escapades during his college years when he started making his own stickers and t-shirts. 2009: FAIREY’S FIRST EVER ART MUSEUM EXHIBITION, WAS AT THE INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART IN BOSTON. 2012: FAIREY WAS SENTENCED TO THREE HUNDRED HOURS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE WITH TWO YEARS OF PROBATION AND A $25,000 FINE.
Story Behind Andre The Giant: One his most famous sticker campaigns was the “Andre the Giant” sticker campaign (later named the “Obey Giant” campaign) that he created in 1989 while attending the Rhode Island School of Design. Fairey’s main goal of the campaign was to spark curiosity in the viewers and have them question the world around them and their surroundings.
The name of Fairey’s museum exhibition was named after the book he released in 2006, also called “Supply and Demand”, which included most of Fairey’s artwork that one would see today incorporated in his popular clothing brand Obey. Fairey created the Obey brand as an extension of his work. He saw clothing as another canvas he could work on and spread his messages to the people.
Shepard Fairey explains that the real meaning behind most of his work is to question everything. “Supply and Demand”. Despite Fairey’s quarrels with court and other artists, he still is one of the most popular and well-known street artist of today’s times.