Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Obey Eye (Offset Poster)”?
Artist Statement
24? x 36? Offset Poster. Signed, Open Edition. $35 Available on 8/16/11
Summary
Obey Eye (Offset Poster) is a 2011 Shepard Fairey offset lithograph, 24 x 36 inches, issued as a signed open edition at $35 and available August 16, 2011. Published by Obey Giant, the poster centers on the OBEY eye motif, a recurring element of Fairey's surveillance and propaganda iconography. As an open-edition offset print rather than a numbered screen print, it was positioned as an affordable, widely available release. The source is brief, giving format, dimensions, price, and availability rather than a detailed description, so interpretation here stays grounded in those facts and the established meaning of the OBEY eye imagery.
Why It Matters
Obey Eye (Offset Poster) extends Fairey's signature OBEY eye motif, a recurring symbol that channels themes of surveillance, watchfulness, and propaganda within his visual language. As a signed open-edition offset lithograph priced at $35, it represents the accessible, high-volume tier of Fairey's output, designed to put his imagery in the hands of a broad audience rather than a limited collector pool. The large 24 x 36 inch format makes it a striking wall piece despite its modest cost. The source is sparse, providing format and availability details rather than an artist statement, so its significance rests on the documented production facts and the well-established meaning of the eye iconography across Fairey's catalog. For collectors, it offers an affordable entry point into the OBEY iconography strand and pairs naturally with other eye-themed and offset-poster releases. Because the record carries limited descriptive content, claims here remain cautious and anchored to the open-edition, offset-poster facts and the recognized role of the eye motif in Fairey's surveillance-and-propaganda imagery rather than to specific unstated details.
Collector Perspective
This poster appeals to collectors who want an accessible entry into Fairey's OBEY iconography, especially the recurring eye motif. As a signed open-edition offset lithograph at a low original price, it is an easy starting point for newer collectors or those building a focused set of OBEY-symbol works. The large 24 x 36 inch format gives it strong wall presence despite the modest cost. It pairs well with other eye-themed and offset-poster releases in his catalog. Because it is an open edition rather than a numbered screen print, collectors should weigh it as an affordable, broadly available piece rather than a scarce limited release.
Historical Context
Obey Eye (Offset Poster) belongs to Fairey's long-running development of the OBEY eye motif, a core element of his surveillance-and-propaganda iconography that recurs across his catalog. Issued in 2011 as a signed open-edition offset lithograph, it represents the affordable, widely distributed tier of his output that complements his limited screen-print releases. The limited source description keeps its precise place in his arc tied mainly to the documented format and availability facts and the established meaning of the eye imagery. It sits within the OBEY-iconography strand that has defined his brand since the early sticker-and-street-art origins of his practice.
FAQ
Is this print numbered?
No. Obey Eye (Offset Poster) is a signed open edition, not a numbered run. It was issued as an offset lithograph at $35 and became available August 16, 2011, positioning it as an affordable, widely distributed release in Fairey's catalog.
What size is the poster?
The poster measures 24 x 36 inches, making it a large-format wall piece. It is an offset lithograph published by Obey Giant, larger than many of Fairey's 18 x 24 inch screen prints from the same period.
What is the OBEY eye motif?
The eye is a recurring element of Fairey's OBEY iconography associated with surveillance, watchfulness, and propaganda. The source focuses on format and availability rather than a detailed image description, so interpretation here draws on the established meaning of the eye motif.
How does its edition type affect scarcity?
Because it is a signed open edition rather than a numbered limited run, it was broadly available at release. Collectors should view it as an accessible, affordable poster rather than a scarce limited edition, consistent with its open-edition format.
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.