Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Mission Fist”?
Artist Statement
MISSION FIST Screen Print 18 x 24 inches Edition of 100
Summary
Mission Fist is a 1999 Shepard Fairey screen print, published by Obey Giant as a first edition of 100, measuring 18 x 24 inches. The title references a raised-fist motif, a recurring symbol of solidarity and resistance in Fairey's work. The source record supplies the title, year, medium, dimensions, and edition size but no description of the composition, so the visual concept is documented mainly by the title and the print's place in Fairey's 1999 output. It is a small-format, hand-pulled screen print from the formative Obey Giant period.
Why It Matters
Mission Fist belongs to the late-1990s phase when Shepard Fairey was building the symbolic vocabulary that would anchor his later activist work. The raised fist suggested by the title is among the most enduring emblems of protest, labor, and collective resistance, and it recurs throughout Fairey's career, making this an early instance of a motif central to his political imagery. For collectors, the work's importance rests on its early date and its small edition of 100, which place it among the foundational tier of Obey editions produced before Fairey's broad public recognition. Because the supplied record offers no description of the actual composition, the connection to the fist symbol rests on the title alone, and specific readings should stay cautious. What is documented is the structure: a 1999 first edition, hand-pulled at 18 x 24 inches, sharing format and scale with its peers from the same run. As an early appearance of the fist motif in Fairey's catalogue, it carries thematic weight beyond its modest size, linking the propaganda-derived prints of the period to the explicit activism that would define much of his later output.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to collectors drawn to Fairey's protest and solidarity imagery, as well as early-period specialists tracking the scarce late-1990s Obey editions. The raised-fist theme connects it to a long lineage of activist symbolism, giving it interpretive depth for collectors who value message alongside form. With an edition of just 100 and an 18 x 24-inch scale, it functions as a connoisseur's piece that frames easily and groups well with other 1999 first editions such as Revolution and Elvis '77. It suits a collection oriented toward Fairey's political vocabulary rather than a purely decorative one.
Historical Context
Mission Fist dates to 1999, within Fairey's run of small-edition Obey Giant screen prints from the late 1990s. This period followed the 1989 Andre the Giant sticker campaign and the consolidation of that street project into numbered editions. The raised-fist motif suggested by the title is an early instance of imagery Fairey would return to repeatedly in his later activist prints. The edition of 100 is consistent with his output from these years and reflects the limited circulation of his work before demand expanded in the following decade. It sits among the earliest layer of the Obey catalogue, predating his mainstream breakthrough.
FAQ
What does the title Mission Fist refer to?
The title references a raised-fist motif, a longstanding symbol of solidarity, protest, and resistance. The record does not describe the full composition, so the connection rests on the title and the recurring use of the fist across Fairey's work.
When was it made and by whom?
Mission Fist was created in 1999 and published by Obey Giant, Fairey's own imprint, as part of his late-1990s run of small-edition screen prints.
What are the size and edition?
It measures 18 x 24 inches and was issued as a first edition of 100, placing it among the scarcer tiers of Fairey's output relative to his later releases.
Why is the fist motif significant?
The raised fist is one of Fairey's enduring symbols of activism and resistance. As an early appearance of the motif in 1999, this print links his late-1990s propaganda imagery to the explicit activism of his later career.
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.