With the advent of Instagram, street culture and, even the popularity of Banksy, it’s fair to say graffiti and street art has become embedded within mainstream consciousness.
Back in 1989, a vagrant artist dropped a portrait that read ‘Andre The Giant Has A Posse‘ igniting an underground phenomenon, intensifying the meaning behind the rebellious ethos behind street art forever.
This eventually progressed to become the OBEY GIANT, an image you’re already probably familiar with.
The man behind the art : Shepard Fairey, a street artist, graphic designer, activist and illustrator, responsible for some the last century’s most socially salient art.
In Australia at the moment to speak at Vivid’s Game Changers event, Fairey has just unveiled what is Sydney’s largest piece of commissioned street art in history.
Brining a team of artists from LA with him to complete the project, Fairey designed the mural to “encourage people to question whether they agree with what they’re confronted with.”
“The idea of consciously obeying versus subconsciously conforming has been something that’s important to me”
Familiar with him now? You’ve probably seen a tonne of his pieces before without knowing who the brains were behind the paint. Here are some of his most striking pieces:
