Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Godfather - Fredo”?
Artist Statement
GODFATHER – FREDO Screen Print 18 x 24 inches Edition of 500
Summary
Godfather - Fredo is a 2006 Shepard Fairey screen print published by Obey Giant in a first edition of 500, measuring 18 x 24 inches. Part of Fairey's Godfather series drawing on the iconic film, the print portrays the character Fredo Corleone in Fairey's bold, high-contrast portrait style with his signature decorative framing. Released at an original price of $35 as a standard-format screen print, it belongs to his mid-2000s pop-culture output through Obey Giant and forms one panel in a set of character portraits appropriating imagery from one of cinema's most celebrated films.
Why It Matters
Godfather - Fredo is part of Fairey's Godfather series, a focused set of character portraits that exemplifies his practice of mining celebrated cinema for iconic source material. By rendering Fredo Corleone in his graphic portrait language, complete with ornamental framing, Fairey turns a film character into a collectible icon, a move that sits at the heart of his pop-culture appropriation work. For collectors, the series appeal is strong: Fredo is one of several character panels, and many collectors aim to assemble the full set, which drives interest in each individual print. The edition of 500 is a moderate run for 2006, a year when Fairey was issuing a steady stream of standard 18 x 24 screen prints through Obey Giant. The Godfather subject gives the print broad cultural recognition that extends beyond dedicated Fairey collectors to film enthusiasts. As a series entry it documents Fairey's interest in cinematic iconography and his strategy of releasing themed groupings of portraits. The print rewards collectors drawn to pop-culture appropriation, character portraiture, and the completist appeal of a coordinated set, while remaining accessible at its moderate edition size.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to collectors of Fairey's pop-culture portraiture and to film enthusiasts drawn to The Godfather. As one panel in a character series, it carries completist appeal, since many collectors seek to assemble the full set of Godfather portraits. The standard 18 x 24 inch size frames easily and looks especially strong displayed as part of a grouping with the other character panels. The moderate edition of 500 keeps it accessible while still being a contained release. Buyers who collect by film theme, who appreciate Fairey's graphic portrait treatment, or who want a recognizable cinematic subject for their walls are the natural audience for this series entry.
Historical Context
Godfather - Fredo belongs to Fairey's prolific mid-2000s Obey Giant period and to his Godfather series of character portraits, released as a coordinated set in spring 2006. By this point Fairey's studio practice was mature and his appropriation of celebrated cinema and pop-culture imagery was a well-established strategy. The Godfather portraits reflect his recurring interest in iconic film subjects and his approach of issuing themed groupings of related prints. Rendered in his bold graphic portrait style with ornamental framing, the series sits within his broader pop-culture output, predating his late-decade mainstream breakthrough and demonstrating his consistent method of transforming familiar cultural icons into collectible graphic works.
FAQ
Is Godfather - Fredo part of a series?
Yes. Fredo is one of several character portraits in Fairey's 2006 Godfather series, alongside The Don, Sonny, and Tom. Many collectors seek to assemble the full set of character panels, which adds completist appeal to each individual print.
What is the edition size?
Godfather - Fredo is a first-edition screen print of 500, published by Obey Giant in 2006 at 18 x 24 inches. The moderate edition keeps it accessible while remaining a contained release within his mid-2000s catalog.
When was it released?
The print was released on April 28, 2006, through Obey Giant at an original price of $35, the same day as the other Godfather character panels. It belongs to Fairey's steady run of standard-format prints that year.
What does the print depict?
It portrays the character Fredo Corleone from The Godfather, rendered in Fairey's bold, high-contrast graphic portrait style with his signature ornamental framing. It exemplifies his practice of appropriating iconic cinema into collectible imagery.
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.