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If you live in New York, LA, or really any large city, the term “street art” probably means something very different to you. Though the bubble letters and tags that defined graffiti in ’90s and early 2000s pop culture still exist, an illegally spraypainted wall is now just as likely to display something crass as it is an elaborate work of art. It’s that transition and the unlikely revolution in this largely ignored branch of the art world that Hulu’s latest documentary explores.
Directed by James Moll, Obey Giant is really a study of one of the best known street artists of our time, Shepard Fairey. The documentary stretches through Fairey’s best known works, from his start tagging random buildings and signs with his “Andre the Giant Has a Posse” stickers to his now infamous “Hope” Obama poster. However, Fairey is such a well-versed and passionate subject, the documentary really acts as a guide through the history and evolution of this art medium. Most of the film follows Fairey as he explains his influences and why he was drawn to the art-for-everyone atmosphere of street art. However, he’s just as likely to throw out the names of some of the greatest artists and history, from Any Warhol to Banksy and ROA. When Fairey does that, the documentary acts as a fast-paced history lesson.
There’s an obvious political nature to much of Fairey and his peer’s work, and sometimes Fairey explains his thought process and political leanings. But the work that seems to resonate best with the artist are the pieces that hint at politicism without being overtly about anything. At one point, Fairey tells a story about standing in line behind a couple arguing over his “Andre the Giant Has a Posse” stickers. The man said that the stickers were promoting a band. When the woman argued with him, he claimed to have seen this nonexistent band. It’s a funny story that also speaks to one of the main draws of this medium: being in on the joke. There’s a sense of community and understanding that surrounds Fairey and his peer’s work that is absent from many other fields. It’s also a story that speaks to one of the most delightfully complicated elements of street art and art as a whole. Though it may appear that these pieces mean something overtly political and powerful, they may not. Whatever way the viewer interprets the art is what that art means.
For diehard fans of the Fairey or the medium, Obey Giant will likely be a well-made but somewhat boring watch. While telling Fairey’s story, the documentary hits the same beats over and over: art is subjective, it should be for the people, art builds communities. But if you’re somewhat new to this world and curious about the gorgeous artwork that adorns the city around you, like I was, Obey Giant offers an insightful look into this often exclusionary world.
