Artist Bio

In 1992, while still an illustration student at RISD, Fairey started his first business venture, Alternate Graphics, to showcase his emerging design and silkscreen printing talents. He created stickers, t-shirts, skateboards, and posters which were all available via black and white mail order catalogs that he distributed. He also did small commercial printing jobs for clients to help cover some of his expenses.

In 1994, Helen Stickler created a documentary film, Andre the Giant Has a Posse, that focused on Fairey and the growing phenomenon of his subversive stickers and posters. In 1996, Fairey moved from Providence, RI, to San Diego, CA, to partner with Andy Howell in Giant Distribution.

In 1999, FBI was dissolved and Fairey, Dave Kinsey, and Philip De Wolff formed BLK/MRKT, another branding, marketing, and design firm.

In 2001, the BLK/MRKT offices were moved from San Diego to Los Angeles and expanded to include a small art gallery.

In 2003, Fairey and Kinsey decided to make a professional split; Fairey kept the location and most of the employees, renamed his agency Studio Number One, and renamed the art gallery Subliminal Projects.

In 2006, Fairey released a comprehensive, hard cover monograph, Supply and Demand, that documents much of his personal and professional design work. The entire book was designed in-house at Studio Number One and it is published by Ginko Press. It is currently in its third edition.

Interview

How did you first get into it?
In 1989, Shepard Fairey was a student at the Rhode Island School of Design where he created the now-infamous The Giant Has A Posse sticker depicting an absurd image of an unrecognizable professional wrestler.

The image evolved into an underground icon, as stickers were circulated in large volumes around the globe. By the mid-90's, about a half-million of the little squares were sticking up around the world.

The experiment behind this explosive phenomenon is targeted to expose the "conspicuously consumptive" nature of our culture, the eagerness to buy in that results from image repetition.

Shepard now works as a creative director and founder at Studio Number One, a Los Angeles design firm. While creating designs for clients like Universal Pictures and DEWAR'S, he still creates Obey art, exhibits worldwide in galleries, and, of course, keeps his Obey images posted on public streets. Studio Number One (SNO) was founded on the belief that art does not just belong in museums and galleries, it should also be an integral part of the visual landscape. SNO creates bold, graphic media that stands out amid the urban clutter, beautifying the environment while stimulating the public with innovative design solutions.

Who are your major influences?
Barbara Kruger, Punk music, Skateboarding.

Favorite piece of work created?
We've been lucky to work on some really amazing projects, from the Dewar's ad campaign to the Honda Civic Tour to the Guggenheim Art After Dark series.

Rationale of your 696 design?
We approached the design as if it were a skateboard.  We wanted bold graphics with a punk rock look and feel.

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