Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Icon Poster (2013 - Present)”?
Artist Statement
Offset lithograph on thick white paper. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Open edition (not numbered).
Summary
Icon Poster (2013 - Present) is an offset lithograph by Shepard Fairey published by Obey Giant, listed under the 2013 edition within a long-running series of Icon Poster releases dating back to 1998. Measuring 36 by 24 inches on thick white paper, it is an open edition (not numbered) signed by Shepard Fairey and sold for $30. The print features Fairey's central OBEY iconography in its most recognizable poster form. As an ongoing open edition, it serves as an accessible, foundational example of the OBEY brand image rather than a limited collectible.
Why It Matters
The Icon Poster is among the most fundamental images in Shepard Fairey's entire body of work, representing the core OBEY iconography that defines his public identity. This particular listing covers the 2013-present version within a release history stretching back to 1998 across multiple editions, underscoring how central and enduring the image has been. As a signed open edition at just $30, it functions as the entry point into Fairey collecting: affordable, instantly recognizable, and tied directly to the OBEY brand that launched his career. Its very ubiquity is the point; this is not a scarce object but a widely available emblem of his most iconic motif. For collectors, the value lies in owning a signed example of the definitive OBEY image at an accessible price, and in its role as a reference point for the rest of his catalog. For a database, the load-bearing facts are the open-edition status, the 36 by 24 inch size, the offset lithograph medium, the signature, the $30 price, and the long edition history. These details mark the Icon Poster as a cornerstone of the OBEY identity and a staple starting piece for new collectors.
Collector Perspective
This poster is the classic starter piece for anyone beginning a Shepard Fairey or OBEY collection. As a signed open edition at $30, it offers an affordable way to own the definitive OBEY icon, appealing to new collectors, fans of the brand, and anyone wanting a recognizable Fairey image without the cost of a limited screen print. At 36 by 24 inches it is a bold, poster-scale display piece that reads instantly on a wall. Because it is open and not numbered, it is not a scarcity play; its appeal is iconography, accessibility, and the signature. It anchors a collection focused on OBEY identity and offset poster releases.
Historical Context
The Icon Poster traces Fairey's most enduring image through a release history beginning in 1998 and continuing across 2000, 2003, 2005, 2008-2012, and 2013-present editions. This particular 2013 listing represents the ongoing modern version of an image rooted in his earlier OBEY and Andre the Giant sticker-campaign era. Its longevity across more than a decade and a half of editions reflects how the OBEY icon evolved from street art into a lasting brand emblem. Within Fairey's arc, the Icon Poster is the connective thread linking his street-art origins to his commercial and fine-art output, repeatedly reissued as an accessible, signed offset lithograph through Obey Giant.
FAQ
Is the Icon Poster a limited edition?
No. It is an open edition and not numbered, signed by Shepard Fairey. This makes it an accessible, widely available poster rather than a scarce limited collectible, with an original price of $30.
How large is it and what medium?
The Icon Poster measures 36 by 24 inches and is an offset lithograph on thick white paper, published by Obey Giant. Its poster scale makes it a bold, recognizable display piece.
What is the edition history?
This listing is the 2013-present version, part of a long Icon Poster history with 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, and 2008-2012 editions. The image has been reissued repeatedly over more than a decade and a half.
Why is it significant?
It presents the core OBEY iconography that defines Fairey's public identity. As a signed, affordable open edition, it serves as a foundational entry point for new collectors and a reference image for the rest of his catalog.
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.