Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Peace Tree”?
Artist Statement
PEACE TREE Screen Print 18 x 24 inches Edition of 300
Summary
Peace Tree is a 2007 screen print measuring 18 x 24 inches in an edition of 300, published by Obey Giant and offered at $35. The image pairs Fairey's decorative, ornamental style with peace symbolism in a tree motif. As a peace-themed release within his pattern-and-symbol vocabulary, it translates an anti-war sentiment into an approachable, design-forward print rather than a confrontational poster. The source provides title, medium, dimensions, and edition size; the visual concept centers on a stylized tree as a vehicle for the peace message.
Why It Matters
Peace Tree sits within the strand of Fairey's work that channels anti-war and peace sentiment through ornamental, decorative design rather than blunt protest imagery. Where many of his political prints confront the viewer directly, this release embeds its message in a tree motif, making the peace theme feel accessible and home-friendly. That approach matters because it shows how Fairey expands his activist vocabulary into forms that invite contemplation rather than provocation. The recurrence of the Peace Tree image in his catalog, including a later gold edition tied to the Covert To Overt project, signals that the motif held lasting significance for him as a reusable symbol. For collectors, this 2007 first edition is the early articulation of that motif at an accessible original price point of $35 and a modest edition of 300. It rewards those who track how Fairey builds a consistent symbolic language across years, returning to peace imagery in varied palettes and contexts. As a screen print at a manageable 18 x 24 inches, it also represents the everyday, affordable side of his output, the kind of work that brought his peace messaging into living rooms rather than galleries alone.
Collector Perspective
Peace Tree appeals to collectors drawn to Fairey's peace and anti-war messaging in a decorative, display-friendly form. Its tree motif and ornamental treatment make it suitable for collectors who want activist content that reads well in a home setting rather than a confrontational poster. The modest edition of 300 and accessible original $35 price point, per the source, position it as an entry-level original screen print. It also fits thematic collections that trace the Peace Tree motif across Fairey's catalog, since the source links it to a later gold-edition reprise. At 18 x 24 inches it pairs easily with other Obey Giant prints of the same standard format.
Historical Context
Peace Tree dates to April 2007, placing it within Fairey's prolific mid-2000s screen-print run, a period heavily shaped by anti-war sentiment during the Iraq War years. The print belongs to the peace and anti-war thread that runs through his work of this era, rendered in his ornamental, pattern-driven visual language. Its motif recurs later in his catalog, with the source noting a Covert To Overt gold edition from 2015, indicating that the Peace Tree became a returning symbol rather than a one-off. This continuity reflects how Fairey developed a stable set of peace symbols across the Posters and Propaganda era, reusing and recoloring core images to sustain a recognizable activist iconography over time.
FAQ
What is Peace Tree?
Peace Tree is a 2007 screen print by Shepard Fairey, published by Obey Giant. It measures 18 by 24 inches and was issued in an edition of 300 at an original price of $35. The image uses a stylized tree motif to carry a peace theme in Fairey's ornamental design style.
How large is the edition?
The edition is 300, per the source. The work is a screen print at 18 by 24 inches, the standard format for many Obey Giant releases of this period. Its modest edition and accessible original price made it an approachable original print.
Does this motif appear elsewhere in Fairey's work?
Yes. The source links it to a later Covert To Overt Peace Tree gold edition from 2015, indicating Fairey returned to the Peace Tree motif in a different palette and context. This makes the 2007 first edition the early articulation of a recurring symbol.
What theme does it express?
The print expresses a peace and anti-war message through a tree motif rather than confrontational imagery. The source tags it with peace and anti-war themes, reflecting the activist sentiment Fairey channeled into decorative, display-friendly design during this period.
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.