Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Uncle Scam”?
Artist Statement
Part of the RISE ABOVE Series that debuted at the Merry Karnowsky Opening in Los Angeles
Summary
Uncle Scam is a 2006 first-edition screen print published in connection with the Merry Karnowsky Gallery, measuring 42 by 29 inches in an edition of 50. The source identifies it as part of the RISE ABOVE Series that debuted at the Merry Karnowsky opening in Los Angeles, offered at $400. The title is a pointed play on Uncle Sam, the personification of the American government, reframed as a critique through the wordplay 'Scam.' As a small-edition large-format screen print, it functions as a gallery-scale work within Fairey's RISE ABOVE body of work.
Why It Matters
This print matters because its title turns Uncle Sam, the long-standing personification of the U.S. government, into 'Uncle Scam,' a sharp piece of wordplay that reframes a patriotic icon as an object of critique. That gesture sits squarely within Fairey's tradition of appropriating familiar propaganda imagery and subverting it, a strategy central to his work. As part of the RISE ABOVE Series that debuted at the Merry Karnowsky opening in Los Angeles, it carries the provenance of a documented gallery exhibition, distinguishing it from his mass-market posters. The small edition of 50 and large 42-by-29-inch format mark it as one of his more exclusive, exhibition-scale releases. For collectors, the piece is appealing both for its biting political message and for its scarcity. The Uncle Sam reference connects it to a deep American visual lineage that Fairey frequently mined, while the 'Scam' inversion delivers a direct anti-establishment statement. Its significance rests on that critique and on its role in a named, exhibition-launched series, making it a substantive entry for collectors of his propaganda-subverting political work.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to collectors of Fairey's politically pointed, propaganda-subverting work and to those who seek his scarcer, exhibition-tied editions. With an edition of just 50 and a 42-by-29-inch format, it sits among his more exclusive large-format gallery releases, attractive to buyers who value low edition numbers and the documented Merry Karnowsky debut. The Uncle Sam wordplay gives it strong, recognizable American iconography with a critical edge, making it a conversation-piece display. It pairs naturally with the other RISE ABOVE Series prints to present the series as a group, so series-minded collectors will want it alongside the companion editions, while those drawn to anti-establishment satire will value its message.
Historical Context
Created in 2006, this print belongs to the RISE ABOVE Series that debuted at the Merry Karnowsky Gallery opening in Los Angeles, placing it within Fairey's gallery exhibition activity of the mid-2000s. Its play on Uncle Sam draws on the Americana propaganda imagery that Fairey repeatedly appropriated and inverted throughout his career, recasting patriotic symbols as vehicles for critique. Released as a small-edition large format, it reflects his growing presence in fine-art gallery contexts during this period. The piece documents a specific gallery debut and sits among the other 2006 RISE ABOVE editions in his catalog, contributing to the propaganda-critique strand that runs across his output.
FAQ
What does the title Uncle Scam mean?
It is a pointed play on Uncle Sam, the traditional personification of the U.S. government. By swapping 'Sam' for 'Scam,' the title reframes a patriotic icon as a target of critique, consistent with Fairey's practice of subverting familiar imagery.
What series is it part of?
It belongs to the RISE ABOVE Series that debuted at the Merry Karnowsky opening in Los Angeles. The source identifies it as a first-edition screen print released in connection with that 2006 gallery debut.
What is the edition size?
It is a first edition of 50 at 42 by 29 inches, offered at $400. The small run places it among Fairey's more exclusive, gallery-tied large-format releases rather than his higher-volume posters.
Where did it first appear?
It debuted at the Merry Karnowsky Gallery opening in Los Angeles as part of the RISE ABOVE Series, giving it a documented exhibition origin within Fairey's gallery history of the mid-2000s.
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.