Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Lesser Gods Eagle”?
Artist Statement
LESSER GODS EAGLE Screen Print 18 x 24 inches Edition of 300
Summary
Lesser Gods Eagle is a 2003 screen print published by Obey Giant in a first edition of 300, measuring 18 x 24 inches. The work centers on an eagle motif rendered in Fairey's graphic poster style. With only the title, medium, dimensions, and edition size supplied, the record provides limited descriptive detail. The eagle is a recurring symbol across Fairey's output, often used in connection with band and emblematic imagery, placing this print within his vocabulary of bold, emblem-driven graphic design from the early-2000s Obey Giant period.
Why It Matters
Lesser Gods Eagle taps into the eagle, one of Fairey's most enduring graphic emblems, used repeatedly across his catalog in both political and music-related contexts. The eagle motif carries layered associations, from national iconography to band logos, and Fairey deploys it as a powerful symbolic centerpiece. As part of a cluster of related eagle prints, this work shows him treating the bird as a flexible graphic device rather than a fixed message, fitting his broader practice of repurposing charged imagery. The 300-piece first edition places it among his standard early-2000s screen-print runs. Because the source description is sparse, the print is best appreciated for its design lineage, connecting to other eagle-based works in his output, rather than for a documented narrative. For collectors, it represents the emblem-driven, symbol-heavy side of Fairey's design language, where a single bold motif carries the composition. It pairs well with his other eagle and emblem prints to build a focused thematic grouping.
Collector Perspective
This print suits collectors drawn to Fairey's emblem and symbol-based graphic work, particularly the recurring eagle motif. Its bold central image reads strongly from a distance and frames cleanly at 18 x 24 inches. Buyers building a set around Fairey's eagle imagery will value it alongside Slayer Eagle and Eagle Mountain as part of a motif-focused grouping. It fits a collection oriented toward his early-2000s Obey Giant output or toward graphic, symbol-driven poster design rather than narrative portraiture.
Historical Context
Lesser Gods Eagle belongs to Fairey's early-2000s Obey Giant period, when he produced numerous screen prints built around recurring symbols and emblems. The eagle motif recurs throughout his catalog, linking this work to other eagle-based prints and to his habit of recycling charged graphic imagery across contexts. The edition of 300 is consistent with his standard release sizes in this window. With limited source detail, the print is best situated through its place in his eagle and emblem lineage rather than through a documented backstory.
FAQ
When was Lesser Gods Eagle released?
It was released in 2003 and published by Obey Giant. The work is a screen print measuring 18 x 24 inches, produced as a first edition in Fairey's emblem-driven graphic poster style of the period.
How large is the edition?
The source lists a first edition of 300, consistent with Fairey's standard early-2000s screen-print release sizes from his Obey Giant output.
What is the central image?
The title indicates an eagle motif, one of Fairey's recurring graphic emblems used across his catalog. The source provides limited further description, so the specific narrative behind this print is not documented in the record.
How does it relate to his other work?
The eagle appears repeatedly in Fairey's output, including prints such as Slayer Eagle and Eagle Mountain. This work fits within that emblem lineage, where a single bold symbol anchors the composition.
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.