Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Travel On”?
Artist Statement
18 x 24 inch screen print. Signed and numbered edition of 450. $55, Limit 1 per person/household. The first 200 prints are included in the Americana Box set previously released and sold out. Limited numbers available.
Summary
Travel On 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. The source notes that the first 200 prints are included in the Americana Box Set, which was previously released and is sold out. The title situates the work within Fairey's 2012 Americana series of folk-song-titled prints. The print pairs Fairey's graphic, poster-style aesthetic with American folk subject matter, and was limited to one per person or household at release.
Why It Matters
Travel On belongs to Fairey's 2012 Americana series, a coordinated group of prints named after traditional American folk songs that together examine national heritage, identity, and the gap between American myth and reality. Like its companions, its first 200 prints were folded into the sold-out Americana Box Set, tying the standalone edition to a curated collector grouping and rewarding those who track how Fairey sequences and bundles thematically linked works. The folk-song framing gives the series a musical and narrative layer that distinguishes it from Fairey's single-issue political prints, letting him engage American storytelling traditions through his graphic visual language. The source connects the work to both pop-culture and politics-and-democracy themes, consistent with how Fairey deploys Americana imagery to question idealized national narratives. With an edition of 450 and an accessible $55 release price, Travel On was widely obtainable, but its box-set lineage and series membership give it collector context beyond a lone image, making it a coherent component in an Americana-focused collection rather than an isolated print.
Collector Perspective
Travel On appeals to collectors building out Fairey's Americana series and those interested in works rooted in American folk music and political themes. Its connection to the sold-out Americana Box Set adds appeal for completists and provenance-minded buyers. At an original $55 in an edition of 450, it was an accessible release, and its 18 x 24 inch format displays cleanly alongside the other folk-song-titled prints. The work is most compelling shown as part of a grouped Americana wall, where the shared concept reinforces each piece. The one-per-household release limit indicates broad fan distribution rather than concentrated ownership.
Historical Context
Released in 2012 through Obey Giant, Travel On is part of Fairey's Americana series of folk-song-titled prints. The series arrived as Fairey deepened his use of American iconography and political commentary, and its box-set packaging reflects his practice of grouping thematically related editions for collectors. By naming the print after a traditional folk song, Fairey ties his visual work to the nation's musical heritage while engaging the broader mythology of American identity. The source's note that the 200-piece Americana Box Set sold out documents early collector demand for the grouped works, while the full edition of 450 kept individual prints accessible at release.
FAQ
What is the Americana Box Set connection?
The source states the first 200 prints of Travel On are included in the Americana Box Set, which was previously released and is sold out. The remaining prints in the edition of 450 were released individually, linking the standalone print to the curated set.
What are the size and edition details?
Travel On 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 series does it belong to?
It belongs to Fairey's 2012 Americana series of prints named after traditional 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 a signed and numbered edition of 450, consistent with Obey Giant's standard practice for the Americana 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.