What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “As The World Burns ... Rollins Band And X”?

Artist Statement

After Shepard did some work for the Rollins Show on IFC, the Rollins camp asked if he would be interested in doing a poster for their upcoming tour. The tour features the original line up of X and definitely is something you don't want to miss! Check out the design that Shepard came up with to pay tribute to two great bands.

Summary

As The World Burns ... Rollins Band And X is a 2006 first-edition screen print published by Obey Giant, measuring 24 by 18 inches in an edition of 2000. Shepard Fairey created the design as a tour poster after doing work for the Rollins Show on IFC, when the Rollins camp asked him to make a poster for an upcoming tour featuring the original lineup of the band X. The print pays tribute to the two bands and was offered at $30. It reflects Fairey's longstanding connection to music and counterculture through concert and tour poster work.

Why It Matters

This print matters as a document of Fairey's deep ties to punk and counterculture music. The commission grew directly out of his work for the Rollins Show on IFC, after which the Rollins camp invited him to design a tour poster, showing how his art circulated within the music world rather than only the gallery scene. By honoring both the Rollins Band and the reunited original lineup of X, the poster captures a specific moment in punk history and Fairey's role as its visual chronicler. For collectors, music-poster editions like this connect Fairey's graphic style to the bands and subcultures that shaped him, giving the work cultural resonance beyond its design. At 24 by 18 inches and an edition of 2000, it was an accessible, affordable release at $30, intended to reach fans as well as art collectors. That dual audience is part of its character: it functions both as concert memorabilia and as a Fairey print. Its significance lies in the intersection of his aesthetic with the punk acts he admired, making it a natural fit for collectors who pursue the music thread of his catalog.

Collector Perspective

This print draws two overlapping audiences: Fairey collectors who follow his music and concert-poster output, and fans of the Rollins Band and X who want a tour artifact tied to the original X lineup. The 24-by-18-inch size and larger edition of 2000 made it an accessible, affordable entry at $30, so it suits collectors building a music-themed Fairey grouping without the cost of his scarcer large formats. It displays well alongside other Rollins and punk-related prints, anchoring a wall of counterculture music memorabilia. Buyers motivated by the bands themselves will value the tribute aspect, while Fairey collectors will appreciate how it documents his crossover into the punk music world.

Historical Context

Created in 2006, this poster fits the music thread running through Fairey's career, where his graphic style repeatedly served bands and tours. The commission followed his work for the Rollins Show on IFC, after which the Rollins camp asked him to design a tour poster, illustrating how his reputation had spread into music media and touring acts by the mid-2000s. The tour featured the original lineup of X, tying the piece to a notable punk reunion. Published by Obey Giant as an accessible first edition, it sits among Fairey's many collaborations with musicians and represents the ongoing relationship between his work and the punk and counterculture scenes he came up around.

FAQ

Related Works

Rollins Poster2002 · Earlier Fairey poster tied to Henry Rollins, part of the same music collaboration thread.

Henry Rollins Frequent Flyer Tour2010 · Another Rollins tour poster by Fairey, continuing the recurring Rollins collaboration.

Henry Rollins Tour 20162016 · Later Rollins tour poster, extending the same ongoing music partnership.

Rollins 502011 · Rollins-themed Fairey print continuing the artist's relationship with Henry Rollins.

Public Enemy (First Edition)2008 · Music and counterculture poster from Fairey's catalog of band collaborations.

Jane's Addiction2008 · Another band tour print sharing the music and counterculture theme.