OBEY

                The world of street art in urban jungles has interested me profoundly after I started reading the Wooster Collective blog. I found that there is more to street art than graffiti and profane messages. It goes deeper than that. It’s like an underground portal of magic and mystery where youth and creative intellectuals use street art as medium to convey thought provoking messages that make you question yourself, your beliefs, and your existence. Though the messages may not always be positive, they are honest. They never force beliefs either; they let you interpret the drawings, images, and words yourself. Who would have thought that a simple graphic can invoke such strong ideas and be interpreted in so many ways?

Shepard Fairey in an Elizabeth Daniels portrait

               The André the Giant icon and OBEY slogan is part of a street art anti-propaganda campaign started by Shepard Fairey in 1989 in Rhode Island. Since then, it has become so popular that today you can find his stickers, t-shirts, stencils, etc. in every country. Fairey has transformed the image of André the icon into a distinguishable icon. Fairey said that “the sticker has no meaning but exists only to cause people to react, to contemplate and search for meaning in the sticker. Because OBEY has no actual meaning, the various reactions and interpretations of those who view it reflect their personality and the nature of their sensibilities.” It’s fascinating how Fairey’s design has manifested itself. It demonstrates the power of iconic art, and how it affects people universally. 

Links/Credit:

www.woostercollective.com
www.obeygiant.com
[image] http://www.thegiant.org/wiki/index.php/Obey_Giant