Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Neil Young Canvas Print”?
Artist Statement
18 x 24? Screen Print, Signed by Shepard Fairey and Henry Diltz. Numbered Edition of 450. $75 Photography by Henry Diltz A portion of the proceeds will go to The Bridge School and Henry Diltz. www.bridgeschool.org www.henrydiltz.com Release Date: 6/17/2010
Summary
Neil Young Canvas Print is a 2010 screen print by Shepard Fairey, published by Obey Giant in a signed, numbered edition of 450 at 18 x 24 inches. The image is built from a photograph by Henry Diltz, who co-signs the edition, and depicts the musician in Fairey's signature high-contrast portrait style. Released June 17, 2010 at $75, the print pairs Fairey's graphic vocabulary with documentary rock photography. Per the source, a portion of proceeds was directed to The Bridge School and Henry Diltz. The work sits within Fairey's run of musician portraits celebrating artists he admires.
Why It Matters
This print exemplifies Fairey's long practice of honoring musicians who shaped his cultural outlook, translating a Henry Diltz photograph into his bold portrait language. The collaboration with Diltz, a celebrated rock photographer, gives the piece dual authorship: both artists sign the edition, which collectors of music photography and street-art crossover pieces find appealing. The Neil Young subject ties to a broader tribute series of canvas portraits Fairey released in 2010 alongside figures like Basquiat, Debbie Harry, and Joe Strummer, making it part of a recognizable cohort rather than a one-off. The source notes a portion of proceeds supported The Bridge School and Henry Diltz, reinforcing the benefit-oriented dimension that recurs across Fairey's music releases. At a $75 release price and an edition of 450, it was accessible at issue, positioning it as an entry point into Fairey's portrait work for music-focused buyers. Its value to collectors rests less on scarcity than on subject resonance, the documented Diltz collaboration, and its place within a cohesive 2010 series of musician canvases. For a database, the verifiable collaboration and the named benefit relationship are the strongest differentiators here.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to collectors who intersect with classic rock culture, music photography, and Fairey's street-art portraiture. Neil Young fans and those drawn to Henry Diltz's documentary work will value the dual signature, a feature that distinguishes it from Fairey's solo editions. As a 18 x 24 inch canvas print, it displays cleanly as a portrait statement piece and fits naturally within a wall grouping of Fairey's 2010 musician canvases such as Basquiat, Debbie Harry, and Strummer. Buyers building a music-themed Fairey collection will see it as a coherent set member rather than an outlier. The edition of 450 means it is reasonably available, so collectors tend to prioritize condition and the presence of both signatures over rarity.
Historical Context
The print belongs to Fairey's prolific 2010 output of canvas musician portraits issued through Obey Giant, a period when he frequently collaborated with established photographers to reinterpret their images. Working from Henry Diltz's photography connects the piece to the documentary record of late-twentieth-century rock, which Fairey repeatedly drew on for his music tributes. Within his broader arc, these portraits extend the reverence-for-counterculture thread that runs from his punk-era influences into his mature gallery practice. The 2010 series sits in his post-Obama-poster phase, when his portrait technique was widely recognized and he applied it across a roster of admired musicians. The documented benefit to The Bridge School aligns with Fairey's recurring habit of attaching charitable proceeds to music releases.
FAQ
Who photographed the image used for this print?
The image is based on photography by Henry Diltz, a noted rock photographer, who also co-signs the edition. The source lists the print as signed by both Shepard Fairey and Henry Diltz, giving it a dual authorship that distinguishes it from Fairey's solo portrait editions.
How large is the edition and what were its details?
Per the source, this is a numbered screen print edition of 450, measuring 18 x 24 inches, published by Obey Giant. It was released on June 17, 2010 at a price of $75, signed by both Shepard Fairey and Henry Diltz.
Did this print support any causes?
According to the source description, a portion of the proceeds was directed to The Bridge School and to Henry Diltz. The Bridge School is referenced via bridgeschool.org in the original release text.
How does it relate to Fairey's other 2010 prints?
It is part of a group of 2010 canvas musician portraits published by Obey Giant, alongside subjects like Basquiat, Debbie Harry, and Joe Strummer, sharing the same format and tribute approach.
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.