Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Afrocentric (Black)”?
Artist Statement
AFROCENTRIC (BLACK) Screen Print 18 x 24 inches Edition of 300
Summary
Afrocentric (Black) is a 2007 Shepard Fairey screen print published by Obey Giant in an edition of 300, measuring 18 x 24 inches and released September 11, 2007 at $35. It is the Black colorway of a work that also exists in a Red variant. The title and imagery engage Black identity and cultural pride, rendered in Fairey's bold, pattern-driven graphic style with the flat color and decorative motifs characteristic of his OBEY editions.
Why It Matters
Afrocentric (Black) reflects Fairey's engagement with Black identity and cultural pride within his broader catalog, using a decorative, pattern-rich graphic approach rather than overt portraiture. Issued in Black and Red colorways, it exemplifies his frequent practice of releasing a single design in multiple palettes, letting collectors select a preferred tone or pursue both to complete the pairing. The Black version carries a distinct, high-contrast character. With an edition of 300 and a $35 original release price, it is an accessible work from Fairey's prolific mid-2000s period, sharing format and scale with many companion Obey Giant prints. For a Gauntlet Gallery collector, the appeal lies in the combination of a culturally resonant theme and Fairey's recognizable decorative-graphic style, delivered in a limited but attainable edition. It sits alongside other 2005-2007 works in his catalog that draw on global and cultural patterning, documenting how Fairey weaves identity and ornamentation into a body of work better known for its propaganda imagery.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to collectors interested in Fairey's engagement with cultural identity and in his decorative, pattern-based designs, and to those who like color-variant options. The Black colorway offers a high-contrast look distinct from the Red version, and some collectors pursue both to complete the pair. At an edition of 300 and an accessible original price, it is an attainable mid-2000s Fairey that frames easily in its standard 18 x 24 inch format. It groups well with other patterned and culturally themed Obey Giant prints from 2005-2007, fitting collections organized around Fairey's ornamental and identity-oriented work.
Historical Context
Released September 11, 2007, Afrocentric (Black) belongs to Fairey's Posters and Propaganda era and his prolific run of mid-sized screen prints issued in multiple colorways. The work's engagement with Black identity and its pattern-driven, decorative treatment connect it to other culturally themed and ornamental prints in his catalog from the surrounding years. Its 18 x 24 inch format and edition of 300 align it with the bulk of his Obey Giant output from this window. Released roughly a year before the 2008 Obama HOPE poster, it shows Fairey applying his graphic system to themes of cultural identity alongside his more overtly political and consumerist subjects.
FAQ
Does this print come in other colors?
Yes. Afrocentric was released in two colorways, Black and Red. This is the Black version, which has a high-contrast 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 September 11, 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 is the print about?
The title and imagery engage Black identity and cultural pride, rendered in Fairey's decorative, pattern-driven graphic style. It reflects his interest in cultural themes alongside the propaganda and consumerist subjects more commonly associated with his work.
What are the dimensions and medium?
The work is a screen print measuring 18 x 24 inches, Fairey's standard format in this era. The consistent size makes it easy to frame and to display alongside other 2005-2007 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.