
OBEY FIRE SALE
Year Built: 2018
Artist Name: Shepard Fairey
Fun Fact: Obey Fire Sale is one of two murals in Seattle by Shepard Fairey! The second installation is "American Rage", located in SLU and completed in 2020
Medium: Exterior Grade Paint
Neighborhood: Downtown Seattle
Address: 1501 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98101
Obey Fire Sale is a five-story mural painted by street artist Shepard Fairey in 2018 on the exterior of The State Hotel in Seattle, WA. To quote The State Hotel's website: Shepard Fairey is a world-renowned street artist, most famous for the Barack Obama "Hope" poster that became an essential image in the 2008 presidential election. Fairey designed and painted the five-story mural on the west façade of the building. Titled "Obey Fire Sale", the mural is a comment on the challenges any individual faces when pushing for environmental and climate responsibility. The term "fire sale" means the liquidation of goods damaged in a fire, or it can mean a rush to sell off inventory before a bankruptcy. Fairey had completed this design before the record number of California wildfires broke out, which climatologists say are a symptom of climate change, only to amplify what he meant as a metaphorical critique of short-sightedness, which will lead to fire sales in low lying areas from Louisiana, to Florida, to Bangladesh.
PRESENTED BY OUR SPONSOR:
"This mural is a gorgeous symbol to Seattle's love, concern and care for the environment. It's been a drive in the PNW for a long time and beautiful to have art that speaks to a passion our city has had for ages. At an impressive scale of 5 stories high it is a prominent fixture in our city and worthy of repeat visits!"
- PEOPLESPACE & HAWORTH TEAM