Obey · Shepard Fairey · 1990

collectable
lithography
mass production
  |
battle for public space
anti- corporation


Style: propaganda
+ Pop Art
and Avant Garde
influenced
Genre: counter culture
+ commercial

Location: store fronts, walls,
signs
, buildings
, record stores
, movie theaters
, streets, mailboxes, phone booths, signs, parking meters, streetlights, trashcans



Fairy’s Obey poster campaign is an experiment of Martin Heidegger’s concept of phenomenology. Obey posters appear on almost any public surface possible. Some adapted to these posters finding the image itself amusing and nonsensical. Others considered it pure vandalism with distaste. Those who grew fond of the stickers saw them as a collectable item because of their familiarity; to own them provides for a memento. Therefore, Fairey was able to turn Obey into an actual merchandising brand. BNE and Fairey share the primary desire of having their symbols everywhere for the public to see; to have the same privilege as corporations who have their logos everywhere.