The New England Aquarium is hosting a free screening of “Obey Giant,” a documentary profiling the life and career of Shepard Fairey – street artist, illustrator, graphic designer, activist, and founder of OBEY Clothing. The film follows his roots in punk rock and skateboarding to his creation of the iconic “Obama HOPE” poster and the controversy that surrounds it.

The film screening is part of the Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans celebration in Boston, July 19 to 26. Fairey will be painting an ocean-inspired mural on the side of the New England Aquarium’s Simons Theatre as part of the event, and the public is invited to watch him and his team from Central Wharf Plaza before the film screening. Eleven new ocean advocacy murals and public events will be happening around the city, mostly in East Boston, to increase interest in marine stewardship. The Aquarium is the Honorary Conservation Partner for Sea Walls which is sponsored and created by PangeaSeed Foundation. Produced in collaboration with HarborArts, a local public art initiative, this new series of public murals in East Boston will add to the seven murals created last year as part of the Sea Walls Boston’s pilot project.