Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Cold Chillin' (Blue)”?
Artist Statement
The “Cold Chillin” print was created when I was working regularly on my series of faux 12” LP sleeves that were a tribute to album covers and the influence music has had on my aesthetics and philosophy. While working on a hip hop penguin for one of the album cover tribute pieces, I decided that the “Cold Chillin” penguin worked well enough as a two color image to make print editions in two color ways. I found it amusing to take the metaphor of “cold chillin” and present it very literally with the penguin on a floating bit of ice with a fan that doubles as a turntable literally and metaphorically blowing cool air on him. The frame is inspired by the hip hop/graffiti device of making tag stickers out of “Hello My Name Is” labels. Track suit and dookie rope chain are also tributes to the gear of hip hop pioneers like RUN DMC, LL Cool J, etc… if you speak the lingo you get it! -Shepard PRINT DETAILS: Cold Chillin (Blue). 24H x 18W inches. Screen print on 80# cream Speckletone paper. Signed by Shepard Fairey in 2008. Numbered edition of 350.
Summary
Cold Chillin' (Blue) is a 2008 screen print published by Obey Giant, released May 29, 2008, in a numbered edition of 350 signed by Shepard Fairey. Measuring 24 by 18 inches, it is printed on 80# cream Speckletone paper. The image, from Fairey's series of faux 12-inch LP sleeves tributing album covers, depicts a hip-hop penguin on a floating piece of ice with a fan that doubles as a turntable, framed in a style inspired by "Hello My Name Is" tag stickers. The penguin's track suit and dookie rope chain reference hip-hop pioneers, and this Blue colorway is one of two released.
Why It Matters
Cold Chillin' (Blue) is one of the more playful and richly documented prints in Fairey's music-tribute output, and the source preserves his own detailed explanation of it. He describes it as part of a series of faux 12-inch LP sleeves honoring the album covers and music that shaped his aesthetic and philosophy. The literal-minded humor of the concept, a hip-hop penguin "cold chillin" on floating ice with a fan that doubles as a turntable, shows Fairey's wit and his deep fluency in hip-hop culture, from RUN DMC and LL Cool J to the dookie rope chain and track suit details. The frame, inspired by "Hello My Name Is" tag stickers, ties it to graffiti and street culture as well. With a numbered edition of 350 and a documented Blue and Red colorway pairing, it is a moderate edition that collectors can pursue as a set. For collectors, the appeal is a self-aware, music-loving image with a clear artist narrative, specific printing details on cream Speckletone paper, and a place within Fairey's broader celebration of music's influence on his work.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to collectors who love the intersection of hip-hop, graffiti culture, and Fairey's humor. The artist's own detailed note about the penguin, the turntable fan, and references to RUN DMC and LL Cool J gives the piece a strong narrative that rewards display and conversation. At 24 by 18 inches on cream Speckletone paper, it is a distinctive, character-driven image that stands out from his more austere political work. The numbered edition of 350, paired with a Red colorway, lets collectors chase a two-color set, which is attractive for completist and music-focused collections. It fits naturally in a music-and-counterculture or album-tribute grouping and suits buyers who want a signed, accessible Fairey screen print with personality and a clear connection to hip-hop history.
Historical Context
This print is part of Fairey's late-2000s series of faux 12-inch LP sleeves, a body of work celebrating the album covers and music that influenced his aesthetic. The source, told in Fairey's own words, dates it to a 2008 signing and a May 29, 2008 release, and roots it in his engagement with hip-hop culture and its pioneers. The "Hello My Name Is" sticker frame connects it to the graffiti and street-tagging practices that informed his early work, while the turntable and music references underscore how central sound and DJ culture were to his identity. Within Fairey's arc, Cold Chillin' shows the lighter, music-tribute side of OBEY during this period, where humor and cultural homage coexisted with his political output. It documents how Fairey translated his musical loyalties into collectible graphic form.
FAQ
What does the image depict?
According to Fairey's note, it shows a hip-hop penguin "cold chillin" on a floating bit of ice, with a fan that doubles as a turntable blowing cool air on him. The penguin wears a track suit and dookie rope chain referencing hip-hop pioneers like RUN DMC and LL Cool J.
What paper and size is it?
The record states it is 24 by 18 inches, screen printed on 80# cream Speckletone paper, signed by Shepard Fairey in 2008. The frame design is inspired by "Hello My Name Is" tag stickers from hip-hop and graffiti culture.
What is the edition size and are there colorways?
The source lists a numbered edition of 350 for this Blue version. It notes two colorways, Blue and Red, allowing collectors to pursue both. It was published by Obey Giant in 2008.
What series does it belong to?
Fairey describes it as part of his series of faux 12-inch LP sleeves, a tribute to album covers and the influence music has had on his aesthetics and philosophy. It was released May 29, 2008.
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.