Shepard Fairey just unveiled his first Presidential portrait in over a decade—the brand-new Kamala Harris poster FORWARD. The poster takes its cue from the Democratic nominee’s slogan: “We are not going back.” In it, Harris stands in profile, confident, wearing a slight smile and looking upward. Across the bottom, in big, capital letters: “FORWARD.”
“That quote by Kamala Harris sums up the place we’re in. And to not go back, we must GO FORWARD!” the artist added. “Though we are not succeeding with every ideal we may wish for, we are moving toward them all amidst increasing dangers and reactionary political opponents.” Fairey also publicly, for the first time, and on the record, announced his endorsement of Harris and her Vice Presidential running mate, Tim Walz.
This is his second major poster release this spring in support of voting; Fairey famously designed a poster for former US President Barack Obama during the 2008 campaign. Despite repeated collaborations with several other high-profile subjects, he has never done a poster for another presidential candidate since then.
In 2015, Fairey told CNN that Hillary Clinton wasn’t “inspiring enough” to warrant a poster release; however, he did design three pieces protesting Trump in time for his inauguration. Meanwhile, Fairey created a poster with Greenpeace of current US [resident and former Vice President Joe Biden over environmental concerns but never officially endorsed him.
Perhaps one of the most influential American contemporary street artists, graphic designers, and activists, and founders of OBEY Clothing, is Shepard Fairey. He was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on February 15th, 1970, and from a very early age started to develop an interest in the art field. Later, he studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and, in 1992, gained a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Illustration.
Fairey’s “Andre the Giant Has a Posse” sticker campaign brought him to fame in 1989 while still at RISD. That image was destined to become one of the world’s most iconic graphics: “Obey Giant,” seminal in Fairey’s oeuvre. In this repetitive process, which takes place over time, there is an instigation of familiarization and, eventually, trust—with the ground for propaganda. The work propels viewers to confront messages they face daily and the world around them.
The “Hope” poster made in 2008 is probably his most celebrated piece—a symbolic image created during Obama’s presidential campaign. This stylized portrait of Obama and the word “HOPE” became an emblem of his campaigns, and he was also credited with playing a big role in drawing support for his candidacy. It had undoubtedly nailed his capability as an artist who could bridge street art into the mainstream discourse of political representation.
Fairey’s work typically uses colour, striking composition, and a style that calls on Pop Art and propaganda posters, graffiti, and commercial artistic influences. His works often carry social and political thoughts, such as environmentalism, human rights, anti-authoritarianism, and other similar themes. Many activist causes have been actively shared by him in direct support or through the arts including Occupy Wall Street or BLM.
In addition to extending his street art and political activism, Fairey was involved in commercial projects, including designing album covers and advertising campaigns for companies dealing with high-class brands. Despite his level of commercial success, he still keeps the principles of street art deep inside him and continuously uses his art to comment on society.
Fairey’s many contributions are in worldwide gallery and museum exhibitions. Numerous institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, have collected his work. During his career, Shepard Fairey has found an excellent balance between street art and commercial art and still is an imposing and loud voice in both circles. He uses art as an instrument for self-expression and change in social matters; thus, he is probably one of the most influential artists of his generation.
Kamala Harris said, “We are not going back.” That epitomises this moment, and the only way we must travel is not backwards: it’s FORWARD! We may not have all we might seek, but we have progressed in the face of expanded threats and their regressive political adversaries. We have a very real chance to push forward. If we can act, we can move forward our desire for a healthy planet, for corporate accountability, toward equality and away from racism, sexism, xenophobia, and homophobia, for fair access to opportunity, for full access to the medical care we want or need, and for fair and just immigration policies.
Overall, I feel that Vice President Kamala Harris and her choice for Vice President, Tim Walz, are our best bets at this juncture. They will provide our best shot in vicious pushback against the encroachment of fascism, the best shot for democracy, the best shot to create a world all of us want and deserve. Politics is hard … but hard is no excuse for checking out. The work can be joyful. It takes messy to get through the daunting mess in pursuit of a better future. We win if we only show up. Be ready for Nov 5. Check your voter registration status now.
This is a work of grassroots activism and is for non-commercial use by all. I am not being paid to make it and I will derive no financial benefit from it. I made this purely as a work in pursuit of a better future. Let’s get there together!” – Shepard Fairey.
Shepard Fairey ‘FORWARD’ Kamala Harris poster, © 2024. COURTESY THE ARTIST