Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Radicals”?
Artist Statement
RADICALS Screen Print 18 x 24 inches Edition of 150
Summary
Radicals is a 2003 screen print by Shepard Fairey, published by Obey Giant in an edition of 150 at 18 x 24 inches. The source description is brief, confirming the title, screen-print medium, dimensions, and edition size. Rendered in Fairey's bold, high-contrast graphic style, the work carries the agitational tone its title suggests, aligning with his recurring engagement with protest, dissent, and revolutionary imagery. The edition of 150 makes it more limited than many of his 200 to 300 run prints from the same period, marking it as a comparatively scarcer release within his early-2000s catalog.
Why It Matters
Radicals fits squarely within Fairey's long-running fascination with dissent, protest culture, and revolutionary iconography. Even with a sparse source description, the title and his consistent visual language signal a work concerned with agitation and political defiance, themes central to his street-art and propaganda-styled practice. The comparatively small edition of 150, below his frequent 200 to 300 runs, gives it added collector appeal as a scarcer piece from a prolific year. As a 2003 Obey Giant screen print, it sits among the works where Fairey blurred the line between commercial graphic design and political provocation, using familiar propaganda aesthetics to comment on rebellion and power. For collectors, the draw is the combination of an evocative theme, Fairey's recognizable style, and a limited edition size. Interpretation stays grounded in the documented facts rather than asserting specific imagery the source does not describe. Its enduring interest lies in how it embodies the agitational spirit that runs through Fairey's catalog, anchored by a relatively limited run that distinguishes it from his more common releases.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to collectors drawn to Fairey's political and protest-themed work and to those who value scarcer editions, since its run of 150 is smaller than many of his prints from the same era. At 18 x 24 inches it frames easily and groups well with other 2003 Obey Giant releases. Its agitational title and graphic punch make it a strong statement piece for a politically themed wall. The relatively limited edition adds appeal for collectors who prioritize scarcity. Because the source description is brief, buyers should confirm the specific imagery and condition before purchase. It fits a protest- or propaganda-focused Fairey collection well.
Historical Context
Dated 2003, Radicals belongs to Fairey's prolific early-2000s Obey Giant period, when his screen prints frequently engaged themes of dissent, power, and revolution drawn from the propaganda imagery he repurposed. Its title aligns with the agitational current that runs throughout his catalog, from street posters to gallery editions. The smaller edition of 150 reflects the varied run sizes he used in this period. Within his arc, the print sits among the politically charged works that bridge his street-art origins and his later, more explicitly activist output, using a consistent graphic vocabulary to evoke rebellion.
FAQ
What is the edition size and format?
Radicals is a screen print published by Obey Giant in an edition of 150, measuring 18 x 24 inches and dated 2003. Its run of 150 is smaller than many of Fairey's prints from this period, which often numbered 200 to 300.
What is the theme of the print?
The title Radicals aligns with Fairey's recurring engagement with protest, dissent, and revolutionary imagery. The source provides only a brief description, so we keep interpretation grounded in the title and his known style rather than asserting specific undocumented imagery.
How does it compare in scarcity?
With an edition of 150, Radicals is somewhat scarcer than Fairey's more common 200 to 300 run prints from the early 2000s. That comparatively limited edition size adds appeal for collectors who prioritize scarcity within his catalog.
Related Works
About the Artist
Shepard Fairey (b. 1970, Charleston, South Carolina) is an American street artist, graphic designer, and activist, and a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. His 1989 “André the Giant Has a Posse” sticker grew into the global OBEY GIANT campaign — an ongoing experiment in propaganda, obedience, and visual culture. He reached worldwide recognition with the 2008 “Hope” portrait of Barack Obama, now held by the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Across screen prints, stencils, murals, and collage, Fairey channels propaganda aesthetics toward themes of peace, justice, environmentalism, and civil rights. His work is in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and LACMA.