Shepard Fairey - prints and biography

Shepard Fairey is a contemporary American street artist, activist, and graphic designer whose work blends the aesthetics of propaganda with sharp social and political commentary. Born in 1970, Fairey first gained recognition in the early 1980s by creating graphic images for skateboards and t-shirts, cultivating the bold visual language that would later define his career. He earned his BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 1992, where he launched his now-iconic Obey Giant sticker campaign.

Fairey is perhaps most widely known for his 2008 “Hope” poster supporting Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, an image that became one of the most recognized political artworks of the 21st century. His prints, murals, and installations often combine striking graphic patterns with themes of dissent, empowerment, and activism, challenging audiences to question authority and media influence.

His work is represented in major public collections worldwide, including the Smithsonian Institution, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the Museum of Modern Art, New York (MoMA), the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C., the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Through his mix of street art, design, and activism, Shepard Fairey continues to redefine the role of the artist as both cultural critic and social provocateur.