Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Two Sides Of Capitalism (Good)”?
Artist Statement
Edition of 89 measuring 30" x 49" $450
Summary
Two Sides Of Capitalism (Good) is a 2007 Shepard Fairey screen print published by Obey Giant in a first edition of 89, measuring 30 x 49 inches and released July 10, 2007 at $450. As the positive half of a paired diptych concept, it presents the constructive face of capitalism, contrasting with its companion (Bad). The large format and small edition make it one of the more ambitious and limited works in Fairey's mid-2000s output, executed in his dense, propaganda-inspired graphic idiom.
Why It Matters
Two Sides Of Capitalism (Good) carries the same weight as its Bad counterpart and is significant for its scale, scarcity, and conceptual role. At 30 x 49 inches it dwarfs Fairey's typical 18 x 24 inch screen prints, and its edition of just 89 makes it far scarcer than the 300-350 runs common to this period. Designed as the affirmative half of a paired statement on capitalism, the Good print supplies the optimistic counterweight to the critique delivered by Bad, and the two are meant to be read together as a dialectic. This pairing structure reflects Fairey's enduring fascination with dualities and propaganda-style framing, and collectors frequently pursue both halves to complete the concept. The $450 original release price corresponds to the larger size and more complex production. For a Gauntlet Gallery collector, this is centerpiece material: its dimensions command a wall, its theme sits at the core of Fairey's corporate-critique program, and its small edition makes it genuinely difficult to acquire relative to most contemporaneous prints, especially when sought as a matched pair with its companion.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to collectors seeking a large, scarce, conceptually central Fairey, and especially to those assembling the complete two-part capitalism concept. The 30 x 49 inch format delivers commanding presence, and the edition of 89 makes it notably harder to find than Fairey's common large runs. Because it is the Good half of a pair, it is most compelling when shown alongside its Bad counterpart, making it a natural target for collectors building a focused diptych display. Buyers interested in Fairey's corporate-critique and consumerism themes and in his larger-format work will treat this as an anchor acquisition.
Historical Context
Released July 10, 2007, this print sits within Fairey's Posters and Propaganda era and represents the more ambitious, large-scale side of his mid-2000s production. Its paired Good/Bad structure embodies the dialectical, propaganda-inspired approach central to his practice, framing capitalism as a two-sided argument. The small edition of 89 and the 30 x 49 inch dimensions distinguish it from the many modest screen prints Fairey issued in the same period. Arriving about a year before the 2008 Obama HOPE poster, it shows Fairey producing weighty, conceptually layered work on consumerism and power even as he continued issuing more accessible editions.
FAQ
Is this print part of a set?
Yes. Two Sides Of Capitalism (Good) is one half of a paired concept, released the same day as its Bad counterpart. The two present opposing faces of capitalism, and collectors often seek both to complete the diptych.
How rare is this print?
It is a first edition of just 89, much smaller than Fairey's common 300-350 editions from this period. Together with its large 30 x 49 inch format, that limited run makes it one of the scarcer mid-2000s works in his catalog.
What are the dimensions and original price?
The print measures 30 x 49 inches and was released on July 10, 2007 at an original price of $450. The larger format and higher price reflect its greater scale and production complexity versus his standard prints.
What is the work about?
As the Good half of the pair, it presents the constructive side of capitalism, balancing the critique in the Bad print. Read together, the two prints form Fairey's two-sided argument on consumerism and power.
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.