Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Shepard Fairey attended the Rhode Island School of Design, where he began his career in the late 1980s. He gained early notoriety through his Andre the Giant Has a Posse sticker campaign, which utilized wheatpasting and stencil techniques to infiltrate urban environments.

Fairey’s work is characterized by a bold, propaganda-inspired aesthetic that frequently incorporates screen printing and graphic illustration. His practice explores themes of power, dissent, and consumer culture, often bridging the gap between fine art and commercial apparel through his brand, OBEY Clothing.

His work is held in the collections of major institutions including the Smithsonian and the Museum of Modern Art. He remains a prominent figure in the global street art movement, continuing to produce large-scale murals and public art installations that engage with contemporary social and political imagery.