Shepard Fairey

SHEPARD FAIREY (Charleston, South Carolina, 1970).
"Make Art Not War (Blue)," 2026.
Color offset lithograph on cream Speckletone paper.
Signed and dated in pencil.
Measurements: 91.5 x 61 cm.

This blue version revisits one of Shepard Fairey’s best-known designs, originally conceived during the Iraq War as a reworking of the pacifist slogan “Make love, not war.” The female figure, framed by floral motifs and accompanied by paintbrushes, combines references to Art Nouveau and the countercultural graphics of the 1960s with OBEY’s characteristic propagandistic language. The blue variant was officially released in July 2026 as a new chromatic interpretation of the original design.

Shepard Fairey studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and gained notoriety in 1989 with the urban campaign “Andre the Giant Has a Posse,” which later gave rise to OBEY GIANT. Among his most recognized works is the “Hope” poster created in 2008, now on display at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. His work, closely linked to urban art, graphic design, and poster culture, is part of collections at institutions such as MoMA, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.