List of contents: Preface, Introduction, Art In The Streets, Revolutions, Your Ad Here, Sound And Vision, Harmony And Discord, Americana, Superman Is Dead, 50 Shades Of Black, Power And Glory, Murals, Collaborations, Covert To Overt.

Featured essays by: Shepard Fairey, Russell Brand, Pedro Alonzo, D*FACE, Dennis Morris, Sean Bonner, Mark Sloan, John Densmore, Billy Idol, Glen E. Friedman, Jello Biafra, Chris Stein and Kate Simon.

My newest book and my first with Rizzoli, COVERT TO OVERT: The Under/Overground Art of Shepard Fairey, comes out tomorrow. I’m very proud of it because I’m not only excited about the content itself but I also think the design and photography are the best of any of my books so far. When I was in art school, I was told that screen-printing and street art weren’t fine art or “real art.” I didn’t listen, and as a result, both have been the key to virtually every opportunity I’ve had as an artist. I’ve never defined myself solely as a street artist, but as someone who believes art is a powerful form of expression that should be utilized and woven into many aspects of the world.
– Shepard

“Shepard’s recent art and poster works, and his triumphant return to his street-art roots with murals, all in work never before published. Shepard Fairey rose out of the skateboarding scene, creating his “Andre the Giant Has a Posse” sticker campaign in the late ’80s, and has since achieved a mainstream recognition that most street artists never find. Fairey’s “Hope” poster, created during Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, is arguably the most iconic American image since Uncle Sam. Fairey has become a pop-culture icon himself, though he has remained true to his street-art roots. Covert to Overt showcases his most recent evolution from works on paper to grander art installations, cross-cultural artworks, and music/art collaborations. The book also includes his ubiquitous streetwear and chronicles his return to public artworks. His signature blend of politics, street culture, and art makes Fairey unlike any other subculture/street artist working today.

This book showcases the significant amount of art he has created the last several years: street murals, mixed-media installations, art/music events, countless silk screens, and work from his extremely successful OBEY brand.” -Rizzoli

About the Artist:

SHEPARD FAIREY

United States

Frank Shepard Fairey, born February 15, 1970, is an American contemporary street artist, graphic designer, activist, illustrator and founder of OBEY Clothing who emerged from the skateboarding scene. He first became known for his "Andre the Giant Has a Posse" sticker campaign while attending the Rhode Island School of Design, which appropriated images from the comedic supermarket tabloid Weekly World News. He became widely known during the 2008 U.S. presidential election for his Barack Obama "Hope" poster. The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston calls him one of today's best known and most influential street artists. His work is included in the collections at The Smithsonian, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.