"From feminist activist Angela Davis to iconic symbols of peace amid political upheaval, Shepard Fairey is known for his bold illustrations and instantly recognizable posters. He rose to prominence within the world of street art and skateboarding culture, creating a sticker in 1989 with the phrase " Andre the Giant has a posse," which was distributed widely and led to a recurring motif of the wrestler's face on dozens of subsequent prints."
"Fairey's graphic motifs hit the mainstream in 2008 during Barack Obama's presidential campaign, in which his portrait sits above the word "hope." The optimistic work exemplifies how grassroots activism, especially through the form of printing and sharing imagery, can become iconic and have immense influence. Out of Print, a retrospective of Fairey's work presented by Beyond the Streets, celebrates what the gallery calls "the rebellious, democratic force of ink and paper.""
"Fairey often incorporates the color schemes and modernist, graphic motifs of early 20th-century propaganda posters, especially of the Soviet Union. By incorporating design motifs associated with fascism into messages of peace, feminism, love, and democracy, he reinforces the power of the medium. "Some people say digital media has ended print, but the provocative, tactile experience of a print on a wall or in the wild can't be replaced," Fairey says. "Printing still matters!""
Shepard Fairey rose from street art and skateboarding culture with a 1989 Andre the Giant sticker that evolved into a recurring visual motif. His 2008 Barack Obama "hope" portrait brought his graphic language into mainstream political imagery and demonstrated the impact of shared printed visuals. A Beyond the Streets retrospective, Out of Print, assembles over 400 prints and new works emphasizing activism, empowerment, and protest. Fairey's Obey Giant practice promotes dissent with the slogan "Manufacturing quality dissent since 1989." He adapts early 20th-century propaganda aesthetics to convey messages of peace, feminism, love, and democracy, and defends the enduring value of printed media.
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