Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Jasper Johns (Cream)”?
Artist Statement
Jasper Johns is one of my all-time favorite artists… so for those of you who are wondering who Jasper Johns is, here is the quick and dirty version: Jasper Johns is one of the first American contemporary artists to begin using pop culture references in his work. One could argue that he is one of the originators of the Pop Art movement, transitioning out of Abstract Expressionism. He is most known for using bold iconography, such as the American flag, targets, and numbers, as images in his work circa the 50s and 60s. Johns was a roommate of Robert Rauschenberg, and I’m a big fan of both of their use of accessible imagery merged with painterly layered surfaces. I first created this portrait in 2009 in preparation for my May Day show at Deitch Projects in NYC, which included cultural and political heroes of mine. -Shepard PRINT DETAILS: Jasper Johns (Cream). 18 x 24 inches. Screen print on 80# Speckletone paper. Signed by Shepard Fairey in 2009. Numbered edition of 450.
Summary
Jasper Johns (Cream) is a 2009 Shepard Fairey portrait screen print published by Obey Giant, released December 10, 2009. This cream colorway is an 18-by-24-inch screen print on 80# Speckletone paper, signed by Fairey and numbered in an edition of 450, with a companion Red edition recorded. Per Fairey's own note, the portrait honors Pop Art pioneer Jasper Johns and was first created in 2009 for his May Day show at Deitch Projects in New York, which featured cultural and political heroes. It priced at $55 on release.
Why It Matters
Jasper Johns (Cream) is a portrait of one of the originators of American Pop Art, made by an artist who openly cites Johns as a formative influence. In his own statement, Fairey credits Johns with pioneering the use of pop-culture references and bold iconography, the flag, targets, numbers, while transitioning out of Abstract Expressionism, and praises both Johns and his roommate Robert Rauschenberg for merging accessible imagery with painterly surfaces. That lineage matters: Fairey's entire practice depends on accessible iconography, so honoring Johns is effectively an acknowledgment of artistic roots. The print was created for Fairey's May Day exhibition at Deitch Projects in NYC, a significant gallery context that grouped it with portraits of his cultural and political heroes. Printed on 80# Speckletone paper in an edition of 450 with a red companion, it sits in his accessible-multiple tradition while carrying unusual art-historical weight. For collectors, it combines a documented artist statement, a major exhibition provenance, and a meaningful homage, making it one of the more intellectually resonant releases in this batch.
Collector Perspective
Jasper Johns (Cream) appeals to collectors drawn to art-historical homages and to Fairey's portraits of cultural heroes, since it honors a founding Pop Art figure Fairey personally cites as an influence. Its connection to the May Day show at Deitch Projects gives it exhibition provenance that elevates it above a routine store edition. The cream colorway, with a red companion, lets collectors pursue color variants or display a coordinated pair. Printed on 80# Speckletone paper, signed, and numbered in an edition of 450, it is an attainable yet substantive acquisition. The 18-by-24-inch format frames well alongside other Fairey portraits, making it a natural fit for collections built around his influences and heroes.
Historical Context
Jasper Johns (Cream) was created in 2009 for Fairey's May Day exhibition at Deitch Projects in New York, a show that gathered portraits of his cultural and political heroes. That places it at a high-profile gallery moment in Fairey's post-"Hope" ascent, when his work was increasingly framed in fine-art contexts. The subject is especially telling: by portraying Jasper Johns, a pioneer of Pop Art's accessible iconography, Fairey acknowledges the lineage underpinning his own practice. The print's release as signed-and-numbered colorways on Speckletone paper reflects his standard editioned format, while its exhibition origin and art-historical subject give it added depth within his late-2009 output.
FAQ
Who is the subject of this print?
It portrays Jasper Johns, whom Fairey describes as one of the first American contemporary artists to use pop-culture references and bold iconography such as the flag, targets, and numbers. Fairey calls Johns one of his all-time favorite artists and a key Pop Art originator.
What was the print created for?
Per Fairey's statement, he first created the portrait in 2009 in preparation for his May Day show at Deitch Projects in New York City, an exhibition that included cultural and political heroes of his. This gives the print notable exhibition provenance.
What are the materials and edition details?
Jasper Johns (Cream) is an 18-by-24-inch screen print on 80# Speckletone paper, signed by Shepard Fairey in 2009 and numbered in an edition of 450. A companion Red edition is also recorded. It was released December 10, 2009 at $55, per the source.
Why does this homage matter?
Fairey's own practice relies on accessible iconography, the same approach he credits Johns with pioneering. By portraying Johns, Fairey acknowledges an artistic lineage, making the print a meaningful statement about his influences rather than just a likeness.
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.