Obey founder and legendary street artist Shepard Fairey is now a wanted man in Detroit. Officials in the city issued an arrest warrant and filed felony charges after several images of his famous Andre the Giant icon were found throughout the city.
Back in May, the city of Detroit actually commissioned Fairey to create a massive mural (which turned out pretty cool), and he collaborated with Library Street Collective to create several additional art installations in the city. According to Time, Fairey said that while he was in town, he was also planning to do some work that wasn’t officially commissioned. Now, the police—who are evidently not big Obey fans—are getting involved. They say he caused $9,100 in damage and charged him with two accounts of malicious destruction of property—both of which carry possible prison terms. A sergeant told The Detroit Free Press, “Just because he is a well-known artist does not take away the fact that he is also a vandal. And that’s what we consider was done in these instances, was vandalism.”
Assuming Fairey does not turn himself in to authorities in Detroit, they say that if he comes back, he will be arrested. Some people just can’t accept the gift of free art …
