Over the years, there has been a multitude of artists who have transitioned from having an underground following to attaining a mainstream appeal. Sometimes this crossover is intended, other times it’s a matter of circumstance. Every artist isn’t born with the tools and resources to become a cultural figurehead; the quality of your work, the passion you have for your craft, and the support you have — these are just a few of the important traits one needs to “make it”.
For this week’s Cultivator Profile, we chose to highlight Shepard Fairey – the man behind the infamous OBEY brand, who came from humble beginnings. Much of his work addresses socioeconomic and political matters. To backtrack, though, his story dates back to the late 1980s at the Rhode Island School of Design. This is around the time when his OBEY “Giant” campaign took shape, and people around the world began to catch wind of who Fairey was. The rest is history.
Fairey has received some backlash in recent years. During Barack Obama‘s presidential campaign, Fairey used an Associated Press image of the President — for which he didn’t obtain a license. In a dispute over the fairness, it was argued that Fairey’s unlicensed usage essentially copied the original photographer’s ideas, sans compensation. Fairey’s rebuttal was that he had not misappropriated the aforementioned photo, and that was grounds for fair use under law. Neither side’s perception was swayed, and ultimately the two agreed to share the rights of the image.
That outcome of that case is representative of the unstoppable nature of Fairey. Whether it be personal projects, or collaborations under his omnipresent OBEY label, everything this man touches seems to sell. Not bad for an art school kid.
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