The posters designed by Shepard Fairey [RISD ‘92, Illustration] quickly became icons of Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, and when TIME named the President-elect “Person of the Year” for 2008, the magazine turned to Shep to design the issue’s cover. “Symbols are very important,” Shep says in this TIME video, where he also describes the process of creating his posters. “I have always made art about people empowering themselves […] and this is a perfect example of something that was created very humbly making a powerful journey. It may be the defining image of my career.”

(As you are reading the magazine you might notice that President Maeda is featured in a Q+A about “Designs on the Future,” as part of a Samsung-sponsored advertising section.)

Shep’s Obama poster is also on the shortlist of the 2009 Brit Insurance Designs of the Year competition, London’s Design Museum recently announced. The 93 nominated designs, which will be exhibited at the museum beginning February 12, are grouped into seven categories: architecture, fashion, furniture, graphics, interactive, product and transport. A winner for each category will be selected by an international jury and one overall winner will be named Brit Insurance Design of the Year 2009. Congratulations, Shep!

01/07/09: even more recognition for Shep’s work:
The National Portrait Gallery announced today that they have acquired one of Shep’s Obama posters for their permanent collection. The portrait, featuring the President-elect above the word “HOPE,” will be on display in the Washington, DC museum in time for Obama’s inauguration (January 20, 2009).

01/16/09: » watch Shepard Fairey on The Colbert Report (January 15, 2008)