Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Duality Of Humanity 5”?
Artist Statement
On 06/16 we will be releasing the 4th collaboration with legendary photographer Al Rockoff. This print is entitled Duality of Humanity 5 and is, of course, part of the DOH Series. The print is an edition of 450 and will be $50.
Summary
Duality Of Humanity 5 is a 2009 screen print published by Obey Giant, a collaboration with legendary photographer Al Rockoff and the fourth Fairey-Rockoff collaboration. Released June 16, 2009 in a first edition of 450 at $50, the print measures 24 x 18 inches and belongs to the Duality of Humanity (DOH) Series. The image draws on Rockoff's photography to explore the series' theme of humanity's dual capacity for conflict and compassion. Rendered in Fairey's graphic style with flat color and propaganda-inflected design, it continues an ongoing series built around themes of war, peace, and the human condition.
Why It Matters
Duality Of Humanity 5 is a key entry in one of Fairey's most thematically ambitious series, built in collaboration with photographer Al Rockoff, whose war photography lends the work documentary gravity. The DOH Series confronts the dual nature of humanity, its simultaneous capacity for violence and for compassion, giving these prints a conceptual depth beyond decoration. As the fifth installment and the fourth Fairey-Rockoff collaboration, this print is significant for collectors tracking the evolution of the series and the artists' sustained partnership. The use of Rockoff's source photography ties the imagery to real conflict reportage, reinforcing the anti-war and humanist themes at the heart of the series. For collectors, the appeal lies in both the series continuity and the collaboration: completists will want number 5 to round out their DOH holdings, while those drawn to Fairey's political and peace-oriented work will value its serious subject matter. Issued as a signed first edition of 450 at $50, it sits in the accessible tier of his catalog while carrying greater conceptual weight than many single-image prints. It documents how Fairey channeled collaboration with a respected photographer into an enduring meditation on conflict and human nature.
Collector Perspective
Duality Of Humanity 5 appeals to collectors building the complete DOH Series, those drawn to Fairey's anti-war and humanist themes, and admirers of his photographer collaborations. The 24 x 18 inch horizontal format gives it a distinct orientation that suits gallery-style hanging alongside the other DOH prints. As a first edition of 450 with a serious conceptual subject, it offers both accessibility and depth. The Al Rockoff partnership adds documentary provenance that history-minded collectors value. It groups naturally with the earlier DOH installments to form a coherent series display, and pairs with Fairey's broader peace, justice, and conflict-themed work for a thematically focused collection.
Historical Context
Released June 16, 2009 by Obey Giant, Duality Of Humanity 5 extends a series Fairey developed in collaboration with war photographer Al Rockoff, here marking the fourth Fairey-Rockoff collaboration. The DOH Series, running across multiple installments from 2008 onward, reflects Fairey's sustained engagement with anti-war and humanist themes during the late 2000s, drawing on Rockoff's conflict photography as source material. This period saw Fairey deepening collaborations with photographers and activists while maintaining his prolific signed-print output. As a first edition of 450 at $50, the print follows the standard Obey Giant release model while contributing to one of his more conceptually sustained bodies of work, anchoring the series' meditation on humanity's capacity for both conflict and compassion.
FAQ
Who collaborated on Duality Of Humanity 5?
The source identifies it as a collaboration with legendary photographer Al Rockoff and notes it is the fourth Fairey-Rockoff collaboration. Rockoff's conflict photography provides the source imagery, grounding the print's anti-war and humanist themes in real reportage.
What series does this print belong to?
It is part of the Duality of Humanity (DOH) Series, as the fifth installment. The series explores humanity's dual capacity for conflict and compassion, and this print continues that ongoing body of work developed with photographer Al Rockoff.
What is the edition size and price?
It is a first edition of 450, priced at $50, released June 16, 2009, per the source. The edition of 450 places it in the accessible tier of Fairey's signed screen prints while carrying greater conceptual weight than many single-image works.
What are the dimensions and medium?
The print is a screen print measuring 24 x 18 inches, published by Obey Giant in 2009. Its horizontal orientation distinguishes it within the DOH Series and suits gallery-style display alongside the other installments.
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.