Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Bobby Seale (Large Format)”?
Artist Statement
One of four large format prints in this series dubbed "Hero Stamp", along with Bobby Seale, Joe Strummer, and Noam Chomsky.
Summary
Bobby Seale (Large Format) is a 2004 screen print published by Obey Giant in an edition of 50, measuring 36 x 48 inches. Per the source, it is one of four large-format prints in a series dubbed 'Hero Stamp,' alongside Bobby Seale, Joe Strummer, and Noam Chomsky. The work portrays Black Panther Party co-founder Bobby Seale in Fairey's graphic poster style at a commanding scale. The large format and small edition of 50 mark it as a more ambitious release than his standard portrait runs.
Why It Matters
Bobby Seale (Large Format) places a founder of the Black Panther Party at the center of Fairey's 'Hero Stamp' series, a set of large-format prints honoring figures Fairey regards as heroes. The source identifies the series as comprising four works, including Joe Strummer and Noam Chomsky, framing Seale among musicians and intellectuals as part of a deliberate pantheon of admired figures. Treating a civil-rights and Black-liberation leader at 36 x 48 inches gives the subject monumental presence, aligning with Fairey's broader engagement with social-justice and resistance imagery. The small edition of 50 makes it considerably scarcer than his common runs of 300, marking it as a statement-scale release. For collectors, the print combines historical significance, large format, and membership in a defined named series, all of which elevate it above a routine portrait. It captures Fairey's instinct to canonize activists alongside cultural icons, using the heroic graphic poster as a vehicle for political memory and reverence for figures of resistance.
Collector Perspective
This large-format print appeals to collectors of civil-rights and Black Panther history, political-art enthusiasts, and Fairey followers who value scarce, statement-scale works. The edition of just 50 and the 36 x 48 inch format make it a centerpiece for a prominent wall. Its membership in the named 'Hero Stamp' series gives it added collectibility for those assembling the full set alongside Joe Strummer and Noam Chomsky. It anchors a collection focused on Fairey's political and activist portraiture and pairs naturally with his other large-format hero prints from this period.
Historical Context
Bobby Seale (Large Format) belongs to Fairey's mid-2000s Obey Giant output and to the defined 'Hero Stamp' series of four large-format prints. By portraying the Black Panther Party co-founder alongside Joe Strummer and Noam Chomsky, Fairey assembles a pantheon spanning activism, music, and intellectual dissent. The large 36 x 48 inch format and edition of 50 set it apart from his routine portrait runs, signaling a more deliberate, monumental approach. The work reflects Fairey's recurring engagement with civil-rights and resistance figures, treating political history through the heroic graphic poster.
FAQ
What series does this print belong to?
Per the source, it is one of four large-format prints in a series dubbed 'Hero Stamp,' alongside Bobby Seale, Joe Strummer, and Noam Chomsky. The series gathers figures Fairey treats as heroes across activism, music, and intellectual dissent.
How large is the edition and the print?
The source lists an edition of 50 at 36 x 48 inches. Both the small run and the large format distinguish it from Fairey's common 18 x 24 inch editions of 300 from the same period.
Who is the subject?
The subject is Bobby Seale, co-founder of the Black Panther Party, portrayed in Fairey's graphic poster style. The print reflects his recurring engagement with civil-rights and Black-liberation figures.
When was it released?
It was released in 2004 and published by Obey Giant. It is a screen print produced at a large 36 x 48 inch scale as part of the 'Hero Stamp' large-format series.
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.