Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Black Keys Live”?
Artist Statement
18 x 24 inch Screen Print, Signed and Numbered Edition of 550. $45 Release date: March 27, 2012
Summary
Black Keys Live is a 2012 screen print by Shepard Fairey, published by Obey Giant and released March 27, 2012. It is an 18 x 24 inch signed and numbered first edition of 550, originally $45. The work is tied to the rock band The Black Keys, placing it within Fairey's music-poster and collaboration output. Source detail is limited to its production facts: medium, dimensions, edition size, signature, price, and release date. As a hand-pulled screen print referencing a live music act, it reflects Fairey's frequent engagement with bands and concert culture.
Why It Matters
Black Keys Live extends Fairey's long-running engagement with music culture, connecting his graphic poster style to The Black Keys during the band's early-2010s commercial peak. Music-tied prints are a defining strand of his catalog, and works like this document how he repeatedly built editions around bands and live performance, bridging the art and music worlds for a crossover audience. At a hand-pulled screen print edition of 550 and an original $45, it was positioned as an accessible release, consistent with Obey Giant's model for music posters of the period. For collectors, the appeal lies in the band association and the place this print holds within his broader music series, making it attractive both to Fairey collectors and to fans of The Black Keys. Because the supplied source is limited to production facts and does not describe the imagery in detail, interpretive claims about its specific visual argument should remain cautious. What is documented is its identity as a signed, numbered music-themed screen print from a busy 2012 release calendar, the larger 550 edition reflecting demand typical of his more popular music collaborations. It is a representative example of how Fairey's music posters sustain collector interest across both art and fan communities.
Collector Perspective
Black Keys Live appeals to collectors at the intersection of Fairey's art and music fandom, particularly fans of The Black Keys and collectors of his music-poster series. The band tie gives it crossover demand among both art collectors and music enthusiasts. At an edition of 550 and an original $45, it is an accessible, hand-pulled screen print well suited to a music-themed Fairey grouping. The 18 x 24 inch format frames easily and displays well alongside other concert and band prints. Buyers tend to prioritize the band association, the signed and numbered status, and condition. Its larger edition size makes it more available than his smaller runs while retaining limited-edition appeal.
Historical Context
Released in March 2012, Black Keys Live belongs to Fairey's extensive music-poster output, a recurring feature of his catalog that links his graphic style to bands and live performance. The print's tie to The Black Keys places it amid the band's early-2010s prominence. Its larger edition of 550 reflects the demand typical of his more popular music collaborations during this period. Within his arc, it sits in the music strand that runs parallel to his political and OBEY-iconography work, reinforcing his long-standing role designing for and around musicians. With the source limited to production facts, deeper interpretive claims stay cautious, but its place in his 2012 music-poster releases is clear.
FAQ
What is Black Keys Live about?
The print is tied to the rock band The Black Keys, placing it within Fairey's music-poster and collaboration output. The supplied source covers its production facts rather than detailing the imagery, so it is best understood as a band-associated music print.
What is the edition size and format?
Black Keys Live is an 18 x 24 inch screen print, signed and numbered in a first edition of 550. It was published by Obey Giant and released on March 27, 2012, as part of Fairey's 2012 release schedule.
What was the original price?
According to the source, the print originally retailed for $45. This was a typical accessible price point for Obey Giant's hand-pulled music-poster screen prints during this period.
How does it fit Fairey's catalog?
It belongs to his extensive music-poster output, a recurring strand linking his graphic style to bands and live performance. Its larger edition of 550 reflects the demand typical of his more popular music collaborations of the early 2010s.
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.