Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Sedation Pill (Large Format)”?
Artist Statement
30 x 39.5 inch screen print with deckled edges. Edition of 50. $750. Limit 1 per person/household. 3 color and 1 varnish on 100% Archival Cotton Rag paper. Comes with Certificate of Authenticity Release date: 2/19/2013 at a random time between 10am and 12 noon PST
Summary
Sedation Pill (Large Format) is a 2013 screen print by Shepard Fairey, published by Obey Giant in an edition of 50 at 30 x 39.5 inches with deckled edges. The source describes it as a 3-color and 1-varnish print on 100% archival cotton rag paper, sold at $750 with a limit of one per person or household and accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity. It was released on February 19, 2013. The large-format scale and small edition mark it as a premium screen print within Fairey's 2013 output.
Why It Matters
This print stands out as a large-format, small-edition screen print, with only 50 produced at 30 x 39.5 inches, placing it among the more collectible 2013 Obey Giant releases. The source documents quality production details, deckled edges, 3-color plus varnish, 100% archival cotton rag paper, and an included Certificate of Authenticity, all of which signal a premium edition rather than a mass poster drop. The Sedation Pill title and imagery extend Fairey's recurring critique of consumer culture, medication, and societal pacification, themes that run throughout his work. Released at $750 with a strict one-per-household limit, the print was positioned as a higher-tier object for serious collectors. The combination of a small edition of 50, large display scale, archival materials, and documented authentication gives it stronger collector standing than Fairey's accessible $45 to $55 poster editions from the same year. For buyers, it represents the premium end of his 2013 screen-print program and a substantial statement piece grounded in his consistent commentary on consumerism and control.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to serious collectors seeking a premium, large-format Fairey screen print rather than an entry-level poster. At 30 x 39.5 inches with deckled edges, archival cotton rag paper, and a small edition of 50, it functions as a commanding centerpiece and signals quality through its documented materials and included Certificate of Authenticity. The $750 original price reflects its higher tier within Fairey's 2013 releases. Its consumer-culture and medication-critique subject suits collectors drawn to Fairey's pointed social commentary. It pairs well with other large-format works in a serious collection and rewards buyers who prioritize edition scarcity, scale, and production quality. The one-per-household limit at release underscores its positioning as a sought-after object.
Historical Context
This work belongs to Fairey's 2013 Obey Giant output and represents the premium, large-format tier of his screen-print program that year. The Sedation Pill subject continues his long-running critique of consumerism, pharmaceutical culture, and societal pacification, themes that recur across his catalog. The use of archival cotton rag paper, deckled edges, multi-color plus varnish printing, and a Certificate of Authenticity reflects the fine-art production standards Fairey applied to his higher-end editions, distinguishing them from his accessible mass-edition posters. Within his arc, this print exemplifies how he balanced widely available, low-cost releases with smaller, collector-focused large-format works, reinforcing his dual practice of broad cultural reach and serious print-collector appeal during a highly productive period.
FAQ
How large is the edition?
According to the source, Sedation Pill (Large Format) was released in an edition of 50, making it one of the smaller, more premium screen-print editions from Fairey's 2013 output. The release was limited to one per person or household.
What are the print's specifications?
It measures 30 x 39.5 inches with deckled edges, printed in 3 colors plus 1 varnish on 100% archival cotton rag paper. It comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, per the source.
What was the original price?
The print was released at $750 on February 19, 2013, positioning it at the higher end of Fairey's screen-print releases that year compared to his $45 to $55 poster editions.
What theme does it address?
The Sedation Pill subject extends Fairey's recurring critique of consumer culture and societal pacification. The source lists collaborations-and-pop-culture as primary and portraits-and-legacy as secondary themes.
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.