Just a quick video post today to give Agent M a break from trawling through video sharing sites compiling media freebies for you. I’ve dug out a three part series on Shepard Fairey - the incredibly influential graphic-designer, street-artist and sticker/stencil activist out of California.

Shepard is best known for the “Andre The Giant Has a posse” craze of the early 90’s (described in part 1), that has now matured graphically and evolved into the brand Obey Giant and clothing label Obey Clothing.

The videos are from a series called Icons that ran on a cable channel Stateside. you can watch them on YouTube: Part one, Part two and Part three.

Apart from amazing artwork and some hints at the thought processes behind it, you’ll get an entertaining insight into Shepard’s street-art philosophy (admittedly they are a bit rushed in the film). One of the best quotes from the man himself comes as he recalls a period when he is producing artwork for large corporations during the day in order to fund his nocturnal activities of subverting the adverts and billboards of the very same companies. Top work!

The vids are well worth a watch, and once you’ve done with them check out more of Shepard’s artwork such as these posters.

I was lucky enough to see some of his work firsthand at an exhibition held at the Baltic, Gateshead. And they were, in a word, stunning.

As part of that exhibition Shepard created a mural outside a tattoo parlour on Tyneside that has fallen foul of local planning officials. (A petition has been submitted to the local council lobbying for the work to be spared) I’ll keep you posted on that.

I also recall spotting one of the Andre The Giant stencils sprayed on the wall of a ski-lift station in Verbier. Anyone else out there spotted the trail of Andre’s posse?