One of the most recognisable names in Street Art, Shepard Fairey, has been in Berlin painting a large-scale mural for Urban Nation as well as leaving some of his iconic Obey the Giant images and other posters and stickers around town.
If you think you haven’t seen his work, think again. Do you remember that Obama ‘Hope’ picture used during the 2008 presidential campaign? Well, that was Shepard Fairey.
Fairey is no stranger to Berlin and on his Obey Giant website refers to his time in the city for Backjumps in 2003.
The Make Art Not War mural in Kreuzberg was organised by Urban Nation, who have been bringing lots of artists to Berlin, including Ben Eine, Fin Dac and Nick Walker, who have all painted near their office on Bülowstrasse.
Make Art Not War was completed by Fairey and his team in two days and faces another excellent large-scale piece by Danish artist Don John.
Shepard Fairey’s Street Art career started when he was a student at the Rhode Island School of Design when he created his Andre the Giant Has a Posse sticker campaign. This sticker was previously featured in my Berlin Street Art Vol 8 – Various Artists post.
The story of the origins of the Andre the Giant image and Fairey’s exploits is told in OBEY THE GIANT – The Shepard Fairey Story a film by Julian Marshall, his thesis film, whilst at the same Rhode Island School of Design and funded partly by a Kickstarter campaign.
OBEY THE GIANT – The Shepard Fairey Story
From those humble beginnings a global brand has grown, Andre the Giant morphed into Obey the Giant and spawned a clothing label. Further artwork followed.
Berlin-lovers might like this Berlin Tower print, unfortunately now sold out.
Photo: Berlin Tower – print by Shepard Fairey from www.obeygiant.com
The good news is that this isn’t the last we’ll see of Shepard Fairey in Berlin, as he states on his website that he will be back for more projects with Urban Nation, until then, you can follow Fairey and Obey the Giant on Twitter and Facebook.
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