photo by John Colombo
Shepard Fairey is an example of a commercially successful street artist that qualifies graffiti as a viable art form. Known for his portrayal of Andre the Giant proceeded by the word “OBEY,” Fairey’s street art has become a commercially successful business and clothing line. Fairey contributes revenue from these commercial endeavors to non-profit organizations like Hope for Darfur, Feed America, earthquake relief in Haiti, and the Alaskan Wildlife Refuge. While Fairey continues to raise awareness of societal problems using street art, his commercial success has allowed relief of these same societal problems, demonstrating the tactfulness and usefulness of so-called vandalism.
