Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Small Privileges”?
Artist Statement
18 x 24 inch Screen Print. Signed and Numbered Edition of 450. $45, Limit 1 per person/household. Release Date: 10/06/2011
Summary
Small Privileges is a 2011 signed and numbered screen print by Shepard Fairey, published by Obey Giant in an edition of 450 measuring 18 x 24 inches and priced at $45. It released on October 6, 2011 with a limit of one per person or household. The available source provides edition, size, date, and price but no detailed description of the imagery or subject, so interpretation is limited to its documented place within Fairey's 2011 Obey Giant releases tied to the collaborations and pop-culture theme.
Why It Matters
Small Privileges is a standard-format 2011 Obey Giant screen print whose source record offers limited descriptive detail, so its significance is best understood by its place within Fairey's prolific output of that year rather than through specific imagery. As an 18 x 24 inch signed and numbered edition of 450 at an accessible $45, it represents the workhorse format Fairey used for many of his releases, making art available to a broad collector base at modest prices. The record associates it with the collaborations and pop-culture theme, situating it among the many editions Fairey produced in 2011 that engaged contemporary culture and commentary. Without a fuller description, claims about its specific message or visual concept would be speculative, so its value here lies in its documented edition structure and its role as part of a coherent series of same-format releases from this period. For collectors, its importance is primarily as a representative example of Fairey's accessible mid-size editions, useful for set-building and for tracing the rhythm of his 2011 release calendar. It is a moderate-edition print rather than a landmark work.
Collector Perspective
Small Privileges suits collectors who appreciate Fairey's accessible mid-size editions and who value the consistency of his 18 x 24 inch format for building a cohesive wall grouping. At a $45 release price and an edition of 450, it is an approachable entry point for newer buyers and a natural addition for those tracking his 2011 Obey Giant releases. Because the source description is sparse, buyers drawn to it will likely respond to its visual qualities in person and its fit within a broader Fairey collection rather than a strong narrative hook. Signed and numbered, it carries the hand-finished features collectors look for at an affordable level.
Historical Context
Small Privileges sits within Fairey's dense 2011 release schedule of Obey Giant screen prints. The record links it to the collaborations and pop-culture theme, placing it among the numerous mid-size editions he issued that year. With limited descriptive source material, its historical role is best framed as a representative standard-format edition from this productive period rather than a singular milestone. It reflects the steady cadence of accessible signed-and-numbered prints that defined Fairey's Obey Giant practice in the early 2010s, contributing to the volume and consistency that characterized his catalogue during this era.
FAQ
What are the specifications of Small Privileges?
It is a signed and numbered screen print in an edition of 450, measuring 18 x 24 inches, published by Obey Giant. It released on October 6, 2011 for $45 with a limit of one per person or household.
What is the subject of the print?
The source record does not include a detailed description of the imagery. It is documented within Fairey's 2011 collaborations and pop-culture themed releases, but specific subject details are not provided in the available data.
Is this an accessible print for new collectors?
Yes. With a $45 release price, a standard 18 x 24 inch format, and an edition of 450, it is one of Fairey's more approachable signed and numbered editions, well suited to collectors building a Fairey grouping at an affordable level.
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.