Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Burmese Monk”?
Artist Statement
Edition of 450, S/N, 18 x 24, $45 On Sale 11/12
Summary
Burmese Monk is a 2009 Shepard Fairey screen print published by Obey Giant, released November 12, 2009. It is a signed and numbered first edition of 450, measuring 18 by 24 inches, priced at $45 on release. The title references a Burmese Buddhist monk, a subject linked to themes of resistance and human rights in Myanmar. The source supplies edition, date, dimensions, medium, and price but no extended description of the imagery. It is a hand-pulled screen print within Fairey's prolific late-2009 output.
Why It Matters
Burmese Monk carries a subject with clear human-rights and resistance resonance: Burmese Buddhist monks became global symbols of peaceful protest against Myanmar's military regime, and a Fairey portrait invoking them aligns with his long engagement with images of dissent and conscience. While the source does not describe the artwork in detail, the title situates the print within Fairey's tradition of elevating figures of moral and political resistance, distinguishing it from his purely decorative editions. As a signed-and-numbered edition of 450 at an accessible $45 release price, it fits the affordable-multiple model of this period while carrying more thematic weight than a routine pop-culture drop. Released November 12, 2009, it sits in a dense run of late-2009 Obey Giant editions. For collectors, the appeal lies in pairing an attainable format with a subject tied to human rights and peaceful resistance. Its significance is moderate within Fairey's catalog, and claims about the precise composition should remain cautious given the limited source description.
Collector Perspective
Burmese Monk appeals to collectors who gravitate toward Fairey's socially engaged subjects, offering a portrait tied to themes of human rights and peaceful resistance rather than decoration alone. The accessible $45 release price and signed-and-numbered edition of 450 make it an attainable entry for collectors building around Fairey's activist imagery. The 18-by-24-inch format frames easily and complements other portrait-based works in his catalog. It also fits a complete run of 2009 Obey Giant releases. Because the source lacks a full description, buyers should confirm the specific imagery and condition before purchase, but the subject gives the piece genuine thematic depth.
Historical Context
Burmese Monk was released in mid-November 2009, within Fairey's high-output post-"Hope" period of frequent Obey Giant editions. Its subject connects to the international attention on Myanmar's monk-led protests of the prior years, aligning the print with Fairey's recurring focus on figures of peaceful resistance and human rights. It sits in a tight sequence of late-2009 releases sharing edition scale and format, several priced identically at $45. Without a detailed source description, it is best understood as part of that productive run and of Fairey's broader practice of portraying subjects associated with dissent and moral courage.
FAQ
What does Burmese Monk depict?
The title references a Burmese Buddhist monk, a figure associated with peaceful protest and resistance in Myanmar. The source confirms the title, edition, and format but does not include a full description of the imagery, so specifics of the composition are not documented here.
What are the edition size and dimensions?
Burmese Monk is a signed and numbered first edition of 450, measuring 18 by 24 inches. It is a screen print published by Obey Giant and was released November 12, 2009, at an original price of $45, all per the source.
Was it signed and numbered?
Yes. The source lists the edition as S/N, meaning each of the 450 prints was hand-signed and numbered. This matches Fairey's standard practice for his Obey Giant screen-print editions of this period.
What themes does the print engage?
Its subject connects to human rights and peaceful resistance, consistent with Fairey's recurring focus on figures of moral and political courage. The source frames it within his collaborations and pop-culture output while the title points toward this deeper thematic reading.
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.