Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Elvis '77 (First Edition)”?
Artist Statement
ELVIS '77 Screen Print 18 x 24 inches Edition of 100
Summary
Elvis '77 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 Elvis Presley and the year 1977, placing the work among Fairey's early pop-culture and music-referencing prints. The source record provides the title, year, medium, dimensions, and edition size but no description of the composition, so the specific imagery 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
Elvis '77 belongs to the late-1990s phase when Shepard Fairey was applying his graphic vocabulary to iconic pop-culture and music figures alongside his political imagery. Elvis Presley is among the most recognizable faces of twentieth-century American culture, and the reference to 1977, the year of his death, points toward themes of fame, legacy, and the afterlife of celebrity images, concerns that run throughout Fairey's portrait work. For collectors, the print's importance rests on its early date and small edition of 100, which place it among the foundational tier of Obey editions produced before Fairey's broad recognition. Because the supplied record gives no description of the actual composition, readings of its specific treatment should stay cautious; the Elvis connection is established by the title alone. What is documented is its 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 example of Fairey engaging a major music icon, it foreshadows the music portraiture that would become a defining strand of his later career, giving it appeal across both early-period and music-focused collections.
Collector Perspective
Elvis '77 draws interest from collectors of Fairey's music and pop-culture subjects as well as early-period specialists tracking the scarce late-1990s Obey editions. The Elvis reference gives it broad recognition value and crossover appeal to music memorabilia collectors. With an edition of just 100 and an 18 x 24-inch scale, it reads as a connoisseur's piece that frames easily and groups well with companions like Huey Lewis and Revolution from the same 1999 run. It suits collections oriented toward Americana, celebrity, and music imagery, and serves as an early anchor for a Fairey music grouping.
Historical Context
Elvis '77 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. Engaging a major music icon at this date foreshadows the celebrity and music portraiture that became central to Fairey's later catalogue. The edition of 100 is consistent with his output from these years and reflects the limited circulation of his prints before demand grew in the following decade. It sits among the earliest layer of the Obey catalogue, predating his mainstream breakthrough.
FAQ
Who is the subject of Elvis '77?
The title references Elvis Presley and the year 1977, the year of his death. It places the work among Fairey's early pop-culture and music-referencing prints, though the record does not describe the full composition.
When was it made and by whom?
Elvis '77 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 it notable?
As an early print engaging a major music icon, it foreshadows the celebrity and music portraiture central to Fairey's later work, while remaining part of the foundational late-1990s Obey catalogue.
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.