Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “By Any Means Necessary (Gold)”?
Artist Statement
BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY (YELLOW) Screen Print 18 x 24 inches Edition of 300 $35
Summary
By Any Means Necessary (Gold) is a 2007 Shepard Fairey screen print published by Obey Giant in an edition of 300, measuring 18 x 24 inches and released July 17, 2007 at $35. It is the Gold colorway of a work that also exists in a Red variant. The title invokes the well-known phrase associated with civil rights and Black liberation, and the print is rendered in Fairey's bold, propaganda-inspired graphic style with a metallic gold palette.
Why It Matters
By Any Means Necessary (Gold) connects Fairey's graphic vocabulary to the language of civil rights and Black liberation, drawing on a phrase strongly associated with that movement. As one of two colorways alongside a Red variant, it reflects Fairey's frequent practice of issuing the same image in multiple palettes, which lets collectors choose a preferred tone or pursue both for a complete set. The metallic gold treatment gives this version a distinct visual character within the pairing. With an edition of 300 and a $35 original release price, it is a relatively accessible work from Fairey's prolific mid-2000s period, sitting alongside many other Obey Giant screen prints of the same scale and format. For a Gauntlet Gallery collector, the appeal lies in the combination of a resonant, justice-oriented title and Fairey's recognizable poster aesthetic, delivered in a limited but attainable edition. It documents how Fairey threads social-justice references through his catalog while maintaining the consistent design system that makes his work instantly identifiable.
Collector Perspective
This print suits collectors who respond to Fairey's social-justice and civil rights references and who like the option of color variants. The Gold colorway has a distinctive metallic look that sets it apart from the Red version, and some collectors pursue both to complete the pairing. At an edition of 300 and an accessible original price, it is an attainable mid-2000s Fairey that frames and displays easily in its standard 18 x 24 inch format. It fits naturally into a grouping of 2006-2007 Obey Giant screen prints, and its themed title gives it added meaning within a collection focused on Fairey's justice-oriented work.
Historical Context
Released July 17, 2007, this print falls within Fairey's Posters and Propaganda era, a period of high studio output across many small editions and color variants. The By Any Means Necessary title channels civil rights and Black liberation rhetoric, part of Fairey's broader habit of folding social-justice references into his graphic work. Issued in Gold and Red colorways, it exemplifies his practice of releasing a single image in multiple palettes during these years. The 18 x 24 inch format and edition of 300 align it with the bulk of his mid-2000s screen prints, situating it just before the 2008 Obama HOPE poster expanded his audience and his engagement with overtly political subject matter.
FAQ
Does this print come in other colors?
Yes. By Any Means Necessary was released in two colorways, Gold and Red. This is the Gold version, which has a distinct metallic palette. Some collectors seek both variants to complete the pairing, while others choose the colorway they prefer.
What is the edition size and price?
It is an edition of 300, released on July 17, 2007 at an original price of $35. That accessible price and mid-sized edition were typical of Fairey's Obey Giant screen prints during this prolific period.
What does the title refer to?
The phrase By Any Means Necessary is strongly associated with the civil rights and Black liberation movements. Fairey uses it to connect his graphic poster style to that justice-oriented rhetoric, consistent with the social themes running through his catalog.
What are the dimensions?
The print measures 18 x 24 inches, Fairey's standard screen-print format in this era. The consistent size makes it easy to frame and to display alongside other 2006-2007 Obey Giant prints.
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.