It’s rare that street art and psychology cross swords as elegantly as is displayed in Supply & Demand - The Art of Shepard Fairey.

For those of you not familiar with the odd image of Andre the Giant that has graced the paint strewn walls of inner city living for the last 2 decades or so - Welcome to OBEY.

OBEY GIANT is aptly described as Phenomenology - and within the book you will get many such terms that plug you more deeply into  the psychology of street art than you bargained for. In short, OBEY is a social experiment that explores the links within our society between consumerism and advertising, and the need to purchase goods for our psychosocial welfare. 

It’s refreshing to actually see art as both expression and critique of modern culture, and Shepard Fairey deserves the attention the we can manage to give him. 

My own reasons for developing RISE mirror the OBEY ideology to some brief extent as well. Im perhaps not as intent on deconstructing the establishment as OBEY, but Im certainly driven to question, overturn and challenge everything as often. While OBEY leaves you with a sense of being enveloped in a society that you are limited in your powers to change, it is my hope that RISE can encourage you to positively engage with your culture to rise and overcome.

RISExOBEY - a match made in anti consumer heaven perhaps?

Shepard - We at RISE salute thee!

“Illegitimi non carborundum” 

Ranui.