Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Peace Goddess (Red)”?
Summary
Peace Goddess (Red) is a 2007 Shepard Fairey screen print published by Obey Giant, issued in an edition of 200 at 18 x 24 inches. Its theme signals point to peace imagery combined with a gun motif, and the design exists in multiple colorways including Burgundy, First Edition, Gold, and Red. No detailed description accompanies this record, so the reading is cautious, but the title and signals align it with Fairey's peace-and-anti-war work, blending a decorative female 'goddess' figure with anti-violence symbolism in his characteristic ornamental, high-contrast poster style.
Why It Matters
Peace Goddess (Red) brings together two of Fairey's enduring interests: peace and anti-war messaging, and the stylized, ornamental female figure that recurs across his decorative work. The pairing of a 'goddess' image with peace and gun motifs suggests a statement contrasting beauty and ornament against violence, a tension Fairey often exploits. Because the record lacks a full description, its significance rests on this thematic alignment rather than documented detail, and it is best read as part of his peace-themed and decorative-figure families. The print's multiple colorways, including Burgundy, Gold, Red, and a First Edition, make it especially appealing to variant collectors who pursue a complete set of a single design across its color treatments. The edition of 200 is moderate, tighter than the 300-run prints common in this period, lending it a degree of relative scarcity. For collectors, its draw lies in the combination of decorative appeal, anti-war theme, and the colorway-collecting opportunity, making it a versatile piece that fits both peace-themed political groupings and collections centered on Fairey's ornamental female imagery.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to collectors of Fairey's peace-and-anti-war work and to those drawn to his decorative, ornamental female figures. The multiple colorways, Burgundy, First Edition, Gold, and Red, make it a natural target for variant collectors assembling a full set of one design. At an edition of 200 it is moderately scarce, sitting below the larger 300 runs of the period. Its 18 x 24 format and decorative composition frame attractively and work well in a clustered display of colorway variants. It fits a peace-themed political grouping or a collection focused on Fairey's goddess and ornamental imagery, complementing related anti-war prints like War For Sale.
Historical Context
Released in March 2007 by Obey Giant, Peace Goddess (Red) belongs to Fairey's Posters and Propaganda era and reflects his recurring peace-and-anti-war messaging alongside his use of stylized female 'goddess' imagery. Produced in several colorways, it illustrates the studio's practice of releasing a single design across multiple color treatments. The peace-and-gun thematic signals connect it to a continuing strand of anti-violence content in his mid-2000s output. With limited descriptive source data, it is best positioned within these peace-themed and decorative-figure families rather than as a documented standout, sitting near contemporaneous works such as War For Sale and other peace-titled releases.
FAQ
What is Peace Goddess (Red)?
It is a 2007 Shepard Fairey screen print combining a decorative female 'goddess' figure with peace and anti-violence symbolism. Detailed description data is limited for this record, so the reading draws on the title, theme signals, and Fairey's peace-themed series.
What colorways exist?
The design was produced in multiple colorways, including Burgundy, First Edition, Gold, and Red, making it appealing to collectors who pursue a full set of variants for a single design.
What are the edition size and dimensions?
It is a screen print in an edition of 200, sized 18 x 24 inches, published by Obey Giant in 2007. The original release price was listed at $35.
How does it relate to other Fairey prints?
It belongs to his peace-and-anti-war grouping and his decorative female-figure imagery, sitting alongside same-year works like War For Sale and Peace Tree and earlier pieces such as Peace Ornament.
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.