Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Clementine”?
Artist Statement
18 x 24 inch screen print. Signed and numbered edition of 450. Limited numbers available. $55. Limit 1 per person/household. The first 200 prints belong to the Americana Box Set, edition of 200 (SOLD OUT).
Summary
Clementine is a signed and numbered 18 x 24 inch screen print published by Obey Giant in 2012 in an edition of 450, priced at $55. According to the source, the first 200 prints belong to the Americana Box Set, an edition of 200 that is sold out. The title references the traditional American folk song, placing the work within Fairey's Americana-themed series of 2012. The print pairs Fairey's graphic, poster-style aesthetic with American folk-music subject matter, and was limited to one per person or household at release.
Why It Matters
Clementine is part of Fairey's 2012 Americana series, a body of prints named after traditional American folk songs that together explore national identity, heritage, and the contested meaning of Americana. Its structural feature, that the first 200 prints were folded into the sold-out Americana Box Set, makes it a tangible link between the standalone edition and a curated collector set, a relationship that adds depth for those tracking how Fairey packages and sequences related works. The folk-song framing gives the series a narrative and musical dimension uncommon in single-image political prints, letting Fairey comment on American myth and memory through familiar cultural touchstones. The source ties the work to both pop culture and politics-and-democracy themes, reflecting how Fairey uses Americana imagery to probe the gap between idealized national stories and harder realities. With an edition of 450 and an accessible $55 release price, Clementine was broadly obtainable, yet its box-set lineage and series membership give it more collector context than a one-off image, making it a meaningful component for anyone assembling Fairey's Americana run.
Collector Perspective
Clementine appeals to collectors of Fairey's Americana series and to those drawn to works that engage American folk and political themes. Its connection to the sold-out Americana Box Set is a notable hook for set-completists and collectors who value documented provenance and series structure. At an original $55 in an edition of 450, it was accessible, and its 18 x 24 inch format displays cleanly alongside the other folk-song-titled prints from 2012. Within a collection it fits best as part of a grouped Americana wall, where its meaning is amplified by the surrounding companion prints. The one-per-household release limit suggests broad fan distribution rather than concentrated holdings.
Historical Context
Released in 2012, Clementine belongs to Fairey's Americana series, a cluster of prints named for traditional folk songs that he issued through Obey Giant that year. The series arrived during a period when Fairey was increasingly using American iconography and political themes in his work, and the box-set format reflects his practice of bundling thematically linked editions for collectors. Naming prints after enduring folk songs lets Fairey engage the mythology of American identity while connecting his visual practice to the nation's musical heritage. The sold-out status of the 200-piece Americana Box Set, noted in the source, documents early collector demand for the grouped works, though the broader edition of 450 kept individual prints widely available.
FAQ
What is the Americana Box Set connection?
According to the source, the first 200 prints of Clementine belong to the Americana Box Set, an edition of 200 that is sold out. The remaining prints in the edition of 450 were released individually, linking the standalone print to the curated box set.
What are the size and edition details?
Clementine is an 18 x 24 inch screen print, signed and numbered in an edition of 450, published by Obey Giant in 2012. It was originally priced at $55 with a limit of one per person or household.
What does the title refer to?
The title references the traditional American folk song, placing the work within Fairey's 2012 Americana series of prints named after folk songs. The source associates the work with both pop culture and politics-and-democracy themes.
Is the print signed and numbered?
Yes. The source confirms it is a signed and numbered edition of 450, consistent with Obey Giant's standard practice for this series.
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.