Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Lotus Diamond (Silver)”?
Artist Statement
This print was only available for purchase at the Obey pop-up shop at Dallas Contemporary and was not sold through Obeygiant.com; it originally retailed for $60.
Summary
Lotus Diamond (Silver) is a 2012 screen print by Shepard Fairey, published by Obey Giant and released February 4, 2012. It comes in Gold, Red, and Silver colorways in an edition of 250, measuring 18 x 24 inches, originally $60. Per the source, the print was sold only at the Obey pop-up shop at Dallas Contemporary and was not available through Obeygiant.com. The design centers on a lotus-and-diamond decorative motif drawn from Fairey's OBEY iconography, rendered in metallic and red colorways as a patterned, mandala-style image.
Why It Matters
Lotus Diamond stands out for its restricted distribution: per the source, it was sold only at the Obey pop-up shop at Dallas Contemporary and never offered through Obeygiant.com. That venue-exclusive release gives it a different scarcity character from Fairey's standard web drops, since collectors generally had to be physically present to buy it. Available in Gold, Red, and Silver colorways at an edition of 250 each, it sits among his more decorative, pattern-driven works, built on the lotus-and-diamond motif within his OBEY iconography. The use of metallic inks reinforces its ornamental, design-forward intent. For collectors, the combination of a specific exhibition-tied release, a relatively small edition, and multiple metallic colorways makes it appealing both as a decorative object and as a venue-specific artifact in a completist collection. Because the source focuses on distribution and format rather than an explicit message, interpretive claims about meaning should stay cautious. What is clear is that the print exemplifies Fairey's use of mandala-style patterning and his practice of producing exclusive editions for gallery and pop-up events, a model that adds provenance value tied to a particular place and moment.
Collector Perspective
Lotus Diamond appeals to collectors who value Fairey's decorative, mandala-style OBEY designs and editions with distinctive distribution stories. Its sale exclusively at the Dallas Contemporary pop-up gives it venue-specific provenance that completists and collectors of exhibition-tied works prize. The Gold, Red, and Silver colorways at an edition of 250 invite set collecting and choice among metallic finishes. At an original $60, it remains accessible while carrying the added appeal of limited physical availability. The symmetrical 18 x 24 inch format frames cleanly and suits a decorative display. Buyers tend to weigh the colorway, the metallic finish, the pop-up provenance, and condition.
Historical Context
Released in February 2012, Lotus Diamond reflects Fairey's practice of producing exclusive editions tied to gallery and pop-up events, in this case the Obey pop-up shop at Dallas Contemporary. Its restriction from Obeygiant.com distinguishes it from his typical online drops and links it to a specific exhibition moment. The lotus-and-diamond motif and metallic colorways place it within the decorative, mandala-influenced strand of his OBEY iconography that recurs across his catalog. Within his arc, it belongs to the early-2010s body of pattern-driven editions that balanced his more overtly political output. The venue-exclusive model adds provenance grounded in place, a recurring feature of Fairey's event and gallery releases during this period.
FAQ
Where was Lotus Diamond sold?
Per the source, the print was only available for purchase at the Obey pop-up shop at Dallas Contemporary and was not sold through Obeygiant.com. This venue-exclusive release gives it distinctive provenance tied to that specific event.
What colorways and edition size are there?
Lotus Diamond was released in Gold, Red, and Silver colorways in an edition of 250, measuring 18 x 24 inches. The metallic finishes reinforce its decorative, ornamental design within Fairey's OBEY iconography.
What is the design based on?
The print centers on a lotus-and-diamond decorative motif drawn from Fairey's OBEY iconography, rendered as a symmetrical, mandala-style pattern. The source emphasizes its distribution and format rather than a specific political message.
What was the original price?
According to the source, Lotus Diamond originally retailed for $60. It was released on February 4, 2012, and published by Obey Giant as a pop-up-exclusive screen print.
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.