Shepard Fairey
(Obey)

Born in 1970 in Charleston (USA)
Live in Los Angeles (USA)

Biography of Shepard Fairey - Obey

Shepard Fairey, also known as Obey, was born in 1970 in Charleston (USA). Between 1989 and 1992, he studied at the Rhode Island School of Design, specializing in illustration. In the meantime, with friends of his, he started making stickers of the French wrestler André Roussimoff (a.k.a Andre the Giant), always bearing an epigraph : “Andre the Giant Has a Posse”. He pasted so many stickers and posters that he was threatened with criminal prosecution. Later, he launched his brand OBEY Giant and sold clothing, accessories, stickers, serigraphs, gaining a huge success. From 1997, he created with Dave Kinsey and Phillip DeWolff the studio BLK/MRKT Inc., specializing in marketing.

In 2003, Shepard Fairey and Dave Kinsey ended their professional activities. He kept the premises in Los Angeles, renamed the Studio Number One agency, and opened an art gallery : Subliminal Projects. In 2008 he acquired an international reputation by making the “Hope” poster for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, which appeared on the cover of Time Magazine. He kept showing his work in many galleries and designed huge frescoes. In 2011 his work was featured for a second time on the cover of Time Magazine, which is exceptional for an artist.

Exhibition dates of Shepard Fairey - Obey

2014
Shepard Fairey : 50 Shades of Black, Subliminal Project, Los Angeles

2013
SID: Superman Is Dead x Shepard Fairey x Dennis Morris, Subliminal Project, Los Angeles

2012
Early Works – Lust Gallery, Vienne
Sound & Vision – Stolenspace Gallery, Londres
A print selection – Galerie Kasten, Mannheim

2011
Screenprints – Belgrave Gallery St Ives, St. Ives, Cornwall
Your Ad Here – V1 Gallery, Copenhague
Shepard Fairey – Galerie Magda Danysz, Paris
Revolutions – The Album Cover Art Of Shepard Fairey – Robert Berman Gallery, Santa Monica (US)

2010
May Day – Deitch Projects – 76 Grand Street, New York
Shepard Fairey: Supply and Demand – CAC – Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati (US)

2009
Shepard Fairey – Valeria Bella Stampe, Milan
Sheperd Fairey – Kantor Gallery – New York
Shepard Fairey: Supply & Demand – The Andy Warhol Museum, Pittsburg, (US)
Shepard Fairey – National Portrait Gallery , Canberra, ACT
Shepard Fairey – Print Retrospective 1997 – 2009 – Merry Karnowsky Gallery – Berlin
Shephard Fairey: Supply & Demand – ICA – Institute of Contemporary ArtBoston, Boston

2008
DUALITY OF HUMANITY, White Walls Gallery – San Francisco

2007
Shepard Fairey: Imperfect Union – Merry Karnowsky Gallery, Los Angeles
Ninteeneightyfouria – Stolenspace Gallery, Londres
E Pluribus Venom – Jonathan LeVine Gallery, New York
Obey Giant vs Wk Interact – Galerie du Jour agnès b, Paris

2006
Shepard Fairey: Rise Above – Merry Karnowsky Gallery – LA, Los Angeles
Obey Giant Poster Exhibition – Circleculture Gallery – Berlin
Shepard Fairey – Obey – Galerie Magda Danysz, Paris
Shepard Fairey: Rise Above – Merry Karnowsky Gallery – LA, Los Angeles
Obey Giant Poster Exhibition – Circleculture Gallery – Berlin
Shepard Fairey – Obey – Galerie Magda Danysz, Paris

2005
Shepard Fairey – Honolulu Museum of Art, Honolulu, HI
Shepard Fairey: Manufacturing Dissent – Merry Karnowsky Gallery – LA, Los Angeles, CA

2004
Shepard Fairey – Supply and Demand – Merry Karnowsky Gallery – LA, Los Angeles, CA Shepard Fairey – – Kantor Gallery – LA, Los Angeles, CA (closed, 2010)
Obey – V1 Gallery, Copenhague

2002
Overnight Delivery – BLK/MRKT Gallery, Culver City
Shepard Fairey – Kinsey/DesForges Gallery, Culver City,