Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Leap Of Faith”?
Artist Statement
SUBLIMINAL PROJECTS RELEASE - LEAP OF FAITH We will be releasing the Leap of Faith collaboration print by Martha Cooper and Shepard Fairey this Saturday 1/31, inside Subliminal Projects Gallery. The print is 18"x24" and an edition of 450. It will be $50 +tax
Summary
Leap Of Faith is a 2009 screen print by Shepard Fairey, published by Subliminal Projects in an edition of 450 at 18 x 24 inches and priced at $50. It is a collaboration with documentary photographer Martha Cooper, released January 31, 2009 at the Subliminal Projects Gallery. Fairey built the print from Cooper's photographic work, translating her image into his stylized screen-print language. The release ties together Fairey's gallery, Subliminal Projects, and a noted chronicler of graffiti and street culture, pairing collaborative provenance with his characteristic graphic treatment.
Why It Matters
Leap Of Faith carries notable cultural weight as a collaboration between Shepard Fairey and Martha Cooper, the documentary photographer renowned for chronicling early graffiti and street art culture. Bringing Cooper's photographic eye into Fairey's screen-print practice links two important figures in the lineage of street art, giving the print provenance that resonates with collectors of the genre's history. Released on January 31, 2009 at Fairey's own Subliminal Projects Gallery, it also reflects the role of that space in his ecosystem of exhibitions and releases. The source confirms it as an 18 x 24 inch screen print in an edition of 450 at $50, an accessible release consistent with Fairey's approach of keeping collaborative prints attainable. For collectors, the Martha Cooper connection is the standout draw, situating the work within the documented heritage of street and graffiti culture rather than purely within Fairey's solo catalog. The combination of a respected collaborator, the gallery release context and Fairey's recognizable style makes Leap Of Faith a meaningful entry among his 2009 collaborations, valued as much for who it connects as for its imagery.
Collector Perspective
Leap Of Faith appeals to collectors who value Fairey's collaborations and the broader history of street and graffiti culture, given the involvement of documentary photographer Martha Cooper. Cooper's reputation as a chronicler of that world gives the print provenance interest beyond Fairey's solo output, attracting buyers who collect around street-art heritage. The edition of 450 makes it reasonably available, and the 18 x 24 inch size suits varied display spaces. Its release at Subliminal Projects Gallery adds context for those who follow Fairey's exhibition ecosystem. It fits naturally alongside his other 2009 collaboration prints and complements collections organized around the figures and history of street art.
Historical Context
Leap Of Faith dates to January 2009 and was released at Subliminal Projects, Fairey's Los Angeles gallery, underscoring that space's role in his release calendar. Its significance lies in the collaboration with Martha Cooper, whose photographs documented the formative years of graffiti and street art, connecting Fairey's practice to that documented lineage. The print belongs to his prolific 2009 run of collaborative screen prints during his peak Obama-era visibility. Rather than a political statement, it represents his ongoing engagement with the people and history of street culture, translating a respected photographer's work into his own idiom. It sits within his Obama-era collaborations rather than his early guerrilla output.
FAQ
Who collaborated on Leap Of Faith?
Leap Of Faith is a collaboration print by Martha Cooper and Shepard Fairey. Cooper is a documentary photographer known for chronicling graffiti and street culture, and the print brings her photographic work into Fairey's screen-print style, giving it provenance tied to the history of street art.
What are the edition details?
Leap Of Faith is a screen print in an edition of 450, measuring 18 x 24 inches, published by Subliminal Projects and priced at $50 plus tax. It was released on Saturday, January 31, 2009, inside the Subliminal Projects Gallery.
Where was the print released?
The print was released inside Subliminal Projects Gallery, Fairey's own gallery space, on January 31, 2009. The gallery release context connects it to his broader ecosystem of exhibitions and reflects how he sometimes debuted collaborative works through that venue.
What makes this collaboration notable?
The involvement of Martha Cooper is the key draw. As a photographer who documented the early graffiti and street-art scene, her participation links Leap Of Faith to that documented heritage, making it appealing to collectors interested in the people and history behind street culture, not just Fairey's solo work.
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.