OBEY TO BUY MY CLOTHING

    The OBEY movement would have to be my least favorite part about Street Art. I just personally dislike how OBEY made graffiti “fashionable,” similar to Urban Outfitters making anything considered “ethnic” fashionable; it’s just insulting. They know nothing behind it, besides that the fact that it is sold at Zumiez. Well, let me tell you a little something about this movement.

Inspired by Andre the Giant, a professional wrestler and an awesome actor in The Princess Bride, Shepard Fairey took this man’s face and created something much more than what he anticipated.   

    Fairey was a graphic designer and illustrator attending Rhode Island School of Design ^[1].  In the 80's, he became fascinated with Andre the giant, because his face seemed “sinister and goofy,” all at the same time. He then began creating a simple sticker featuring Andre the giant; soon after that, the movement was formed.

   For years, he plastered the stickers and posters all around the world, and it had develop a cult following. The purpose of this movement was to make society question EVERYTHING, including authority.  Fairey justifies his actions of vandalizing (placing his art everywhere without permission) as an extension to his freedom of speech. Why should advertisers be the only ones to “occupy the graphic communication of  public space?”^[2] Though, this may parallel with Banksy’s opinion on advertising, Fairey’s views are a little more complicated. He is a proud capitalist profiting from his clothing line, stickers, posters, music covers, etc. Some say he sold out, others say he is living the dream of what any underground street artist would have ever wanted. Whatever opinion you have, OBEY is everywhere; on the streets, in museums, at Zumiez, on the bodies of teenagers who know a little of the art movement, etc.

    Austin’s FAILURE ONE and MEGS reminds me of OBEY (when it was actually meaningful). FAILURE ONE is a bit sexual, with naked girls in most of their posters, but I still love MEGS because I always notice their/her/his slaps and tags along the drag in Austin. 

          Some music artist that remind me about graffiti in general would have to be Typical Cats. I used to listen to them non-stop in high school. Like it was literally my JAM of the day. It is a bit "guetto," but if you enjoy the culture of street art and graffiti as much as me, you will LOVE IT. Please enjoy.