Shepard Fairey’s street art subject of new film ‘Obey the Giant’

Shepard Fairey’s first acts of street art have spawned a fictional film, “Obey the Giant.”

(The film contains strong language and can be viewed here.)

The 20-minute short is based on Fairey’s subversive Andre the Giant “Obey” sticker campaign of the early 1990s designed to challenge the Rhode Island mayor and art school powers-that-be.

Director Julian Marshall, a recent grad from the Rhode Island School of Design (also Fairey’s alma mater), recently raised $65,000 via Kickstarter to fund the project, which seems to have Fairey’s blessing.

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The page says Marshall interned for the renowned street artist and features a profile photo of Fairey and the director standing arm and arm.

While an appropriately sweatshirt-clad actor plays Fairey in the film, the real-life graffiti artist isn’t camera-shy.

Fairey starred in the 2010 Oscar-nominated documentary “Exit Through the Gift Shop” and voiced an episode of “The Simpsons.”

“Obey the Giant” was released Monday online, and like Fairey’s first works, it’s free.

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