Shepard Fairey gets probation for Obama vandalism

The street artist behind the iconic poster of Barack Obama entitled 'Hope', which became a symbol of his election campaign last year, has been sentenced to two years' probation in Boston after pleading guilty to charges of vandalism.

Shepard Fairey, who had posted his work on buildings around Boston, pleaded guilty to one charge of defacing property and two charges of "wanton destruction of property" valued at under $250 in exchange for the prosecutors dropping 11 other charges.

Fairey (above, in front of his poster, 'Hope') was arrested in Boston in February as he arrived at the Institute of Contemporary Art for the opening-night party for a retrospective of his own work.

He issued a public apology to the people of Boston for "posting my art in unauthorised spaces without the consent of the owner" after being placed on probation and ordered to pay $2,000 to a graffiti removal organisation. He was also banned from carrying materials that could be used for graffiti.

"Freedom of expression is the bedrock of our democracy," he added. "However, I also believe it is important that people respect private property and do not use it without the authorisation of the owner."

Despite his public mea culpa the artist's legal troubles are far from over. In an unrelated set of cases, Fairey and the Associated Press are suing each other over the use of a photo of Obama that served as the inspiration for the Hope poster.

Fairey, whose distinctive stark style had led to work in design and marketing, much to the chagrin of other underground artists, was thrust into the limelight in 2008 when Time magazine commissioned him to recreate the Hope poster as a cover design for for its Person of the Year issue.