Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Obey Windmill”?
Artist Statement
Shepard created this image with the hope that it will be part of some Green Energy Initiatives in the near future. Keep a look out as you might see this image around in the days to come. Print Release on 6/30 at a Random Time. Edition of 450, 18 x 24, Signed and Numbered, $45
Summary
Obey Windmill is a 2009 Obey Giant signed and numbered screen print, released June 30, 2009 in an edition of 450 at 18 x 24 inches. The image centers on a windmill, which Fairey created in the hope it would become part of Green Energy Initiatives. The composition pairs Fairey's clean stencil-style line work and OBEY visual language with renewable-energy imagery, turning a functional power source into a graphic emblem of sustainable energy. As a modestly sized, accessibly priced edition, it functions as a clear, single-subject poster image rather than a dense propaganda collage.
Why It Matters
Obey Windmill sits at the point where Fairey's propaganda-poster vocabulary meets explicit environmental messaging. Where much of his late-2000s output critiqued power and consumerism, this print reframes the same graphic toolkit around clean energy, presenting the windmill as a hopeful symbol rather than a target of critique. Fairey's own stated hope that the image would feed into Green Energy Initiatives signals an artist consciously aligning his iconography with sustainability advocacy. For collectors, that makes Windmill a useful marker of Fairey's expanding thematic range beyond pure political confrontation. The edition of 450 at the smaller 18 x 24 format places it among his approachable, broadly available 2009 releases, which historically draw collectors building a representative cross-section of his work rather than chasing trophy pieces. Its straightforward, poster-like clarity also makes it an easy entry point for newer buyers who want a recognizable Fairey graphic with a clear, positive theme. The print rewards those who value message and iconography over scarcity, and it documents how renewable-energy imagery entered street-art-derived fine print culture during this period.
Collector Perspective
This print suits collectors who focus on Fairey's thematic breadth and on environmental or energy imagery specifically, as well as those assembling a broad survey of his 2009 Obey Giant editions. At 18 x 24 with an edition of 450, it is a manageable, frame-friendly size that hangs well in homes and offices without dominating a wall, and its single windmill subject reads cleanly from a distance. Buyers drawn to optimistic, message-forward graphics rather than dense critique will appreciate its directness. Because it is a signed and numbered screen print from a recognizable run, it fits naturally alongside other accessible Fairey prints in a starter or mid-tier collection, complementing his OBEY-iconography and consumerism-themed works while standing out for its green-energy focus.
Historical Context
Obey Windmill was released through Obey Giant on June 30, 2009, during a productive stretch when Fairey was issuing frequent signed-and-numbered editions in the wake of his 2008 Obama campaign visibility. The print extends his practice of using poster graphics to advocate causes, here pointing toward Green Energy Initiatives and renewable power. It belongs to the period in which Fairey increasingly applied his established propaganda-style visual language to environmental and social themes rather than purely confrontational political subjects. While the source does not detail a specific campaign or partner organization, Fairey's note about hoping the image would circulate in support of green energy situates it within his broader move toward sustainability messaging. As a 2009 Obey Giant release it reflects the steady cadence of editions Fairey produced in this era for a growing collector audience.
FAQ
When was Obey Windmill released and how large is the edition?
Obey Windmill was released by Obey Giant on June 30, 2009 at a random time, in a signed and numbered edition of 450. Each print measures 18 x 24 inches and originally sold for $45.
What is the print about?
Fairey created the windmill image with the hope it would become part of Green Energy Initiatives, framing the windmill as a symbol of renewable, sustainable power. It reflects his interest in pairing his graphic poster style with positive environmental messaging.
Is the print signed and numbered?
Yes. According to the release, Obey Windmill is a signed and numbered screen print in an edition of 450, published by Obey Giant in 2009 at 18 x 24 inches.
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.