Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Vintage Paster”?
Artist Statement
VINTAGE PASTER Screen Print 18 x 24 inches Edition of 300
Summary
Vintage Paster is a 2006 Shepard Fairey screen print published by Obey Giant, measuring 18 x 24 inches in a First Edition of 300. The source description lists title, medium, dimensions, and edition size without further narrative. The title references the wheatpaste paster format central to Fairey's street practice, rendered in his graphic, high-contrast style. Its standard portrait format and 300-piece run place it within Obey Giant's regular 2006 release schedule of screen-printed editions.
Why It Matters
Vintage Paster speaks directly to the origins of Fairey's practice in its very title: the paster is the wheatpaste poster format that powered his early OBEY street campaign, and a print invoking a vintage paster reconnects the gallery edition to its guerrilla roots. While the source record gives limited descriptive detail, that lineage gives the work conceptual resonance for collectors who value how Fairey's editioned prints trace back to his work on city walls. The First Edition of 300 is a moderate run, smaller than several of his same-year editions, which generally supports steady collector interest. As one of several 2006 screen prints sharing the same size and edition scale, it fits well within a coordinated mid-2000s grouping. For collectors, the appeal lies in the nod to Fairey's street-art heritage combined with a representative format and edition from a productive period. Because the description is sparse, claims about the specific imagery should stay cautious; the print is best understood as a characteristic 2006 Obey Giant edition whose interest derives from its title's connection to Fairey's paster tradition, its format, and its edition scale.
Collector Perspective
Vintage Paster appeals to collectors who value the connection between Fairey's gallery editions and his street-poster origins, as well as those building breadth across his mid-2000s output. The First Edition of 300 offers an accessible tier with a tighter run than some contemporaries. At 18 x 24 inches it frames easily and pairs naturally with the cluster of 2006 Obey Giant prints sharing its size and edition scale. Because the source detail is limited, it is best valued for its place in the catalog and the resonance of its paster-referencing title rather than for a documented standout image, making it a sensible component of a period-focused Fairey grouping.
Historical Context
Vintage Paster dates to July 2006 and takes its title from the paster, the wheatpaste poster format at the heart of Fairey's early OBEY street campaign. The reference ties this gallery edition back to the guerrilla postering that built his reputation, reflecting the continuity between his public work and his editioned prints. Released during his productive mid-2000s period and predating his 2008 mainstream breakout, it belongs to the phase when Fairey's editions were expanding in volume and range. As a 2006 First Edition of 300 sharing format and scale with several companion releases, it documents the steady cadence of Obey Giant's output rather than marking a singular milestone.
FAQ
What is Vintage Paster?
It is a 2006 Shepard Fairey screen print published by Obey Giant, measuring 18 x 24 inches in a First Edition of 300. The title references the wheatpaste paster format central to Fairey's street practice. It is dated July 3, 2006.
How large is the edition?
It is a First Edition of 300 screen prints, a moderate run smaller than several of Fairey's same-year editions. No additional editions are listed in the record.
What are the dimensions and medium?
It is a screen print measuring 18 x 24 inches, published by Obey Giant in 2006. The recorded release price was 30 dollars.
Why is it called Vintage Paster?
The title references the paster, the wheatpaste poster format at the core of Fairey's early OBEY street campaign. The source record does not provide further description of the specific 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.