Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Merry Karnowsky 10th Anniversary”?
Artist Statement
Screen Print 18 x 24 inches Edition of 300 D E C A D E : Merry Karnowsky Gallery 10th year anniversary exhibition June 30 - July 28
Summary
Merry Karnowsky 10th Anniversary is a 2007 Shepard Fairey screen print published by the Merry Karnowsky Gallery in a first edition of 300, measuring 18 x 24 inches. It was made for the gallery's tenth-anniversary exhibition, titled DECADE, which ran June 30 to July 28, 2007. The print functions as a commemorative exhibition work, marking a decade of the gallery rather than advancing a political theme, and is rendered in Fairey's recognizable graphic poster style.
Why It Matters
This print is notable as a gallery-commissioned commemorative piece rather than a standard Obey Giant political release, which gives it a distinct place in Fairey's catalog. Published by the Merry Karnowsky Gallery for its tenth-anniversary DECADE exhibition, it documents Fairey's relationships with the galleries that helped establish his standing in the fine-art world during the 2000s. For collectors, exhibition and anniversary prints like this carry an institutional provenance that ordinary studio editions lack, tying the work to a specific event and venue. The first edition of 300 keeps it limited, and its 18 x 24 inch format matches the bulk of Fairey's screen-print output, so it sits comfortably alongside his other 2006-2007 works. The value here is documentary and contextual: it captures a moment when Fairey was collaborating with established galleries and producing pieces that celebrate the art-world infrastructure around him, just before the 2008 Obama campaign made him a household name. As a commemorative item, it offers a collector something slightly off the main Obey Giant line while remaining fully within Fairey's recognized visual idiom.
Collector Perspective
Collectors who value provenance and exhibition history will appreciate this anniversary print's direct tie to the Merry Karnowsky Gallery's DECADE show. It suits buyers assembling a Fairey collection that includes gallery collaborations and commemorative works, not just Obey Giant political editions. The edition of 300 and standard 18 x 24 inch size make it limited yet displayable, and it pairs well with other 2006-2007 Fairey screen prints. Its commemorative character can make it a conversation piece within a grouping, and the gallery association appeals to collectors interested in the institutional side of Fairey's rise during the mid-2000s.
Historical Context
Created in 2007, this print falls in Fairey's Posters and Propaganda era and reflects the gallery partnerships that supported his transition from street artist to gallery-represented fine artist. The Merry Karnowsky Gallery, which published it, mounted its tenth-anniversary exhibition DECADE from June 30 to July 28, 2007, and Fairey produced this commemorative screen print for that occasion. The work sits among his many 2006-2007 editions in scale and format but differs in purpose, marking a gallery milestone rather than a political message. It belongs to the period immediately preceding the 2008 Obama HOPE poster, documenting the art-world relationships Fairey had built before that breakthrough broadened his reach.
FAQ
Why was this print made?
It was created for the Merry Karnowsky Gallery's tenth-anniversary exhibition, titled DECADE, which ran from June 30 to July 28, 2007. As a commemorative work, it marks the gallery's tenth year rather than advancing one of Fairey's typical political themes.
Who published this print?
Unlike most of Fairey's screen prints, this one was published by the Merry Karnowsky Gallery rather than Obey Giant. The gallery commission gives the print a direct tie to a specific exhibition and venue.
What is the edition size and dimensions?
The print is a first edition of 300 and measures 18 x 24 inches. That edition size keeps it limited, and the standard format matches most of Fairey's 2006-2007 screen prints, making it easy to display in a collection.
What makes this print distinct in Fairey's catalog?
It is a gallery-commissioned anniversary piece rather than a standard Obey Giant release. That commemorative purpose and its connection to the DECADE exhibition give it provenance and context that ordinary studio editions do not carry.
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.