Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Berlin Tower”?
Artist Statement
18 x 24? Screen Print, Signed and Numbered Edition of 450, $45, Limit 1 per person/household. Release Date: 3/17/2011
Summary
Berlin Tower is a 2013 screen print by Shepard Fairey, published by Obey Giant in a signed and numbered edition of 450 at 18 x 24 inches, priced at $45 with a limit of one per person or household. The print depicts the Berlin television tower as its subject. It belongs to Fairey's series of place- and architecture-themed editions and was released as an accessible, signed screen print within his 2013 Obey Giant output. The source provides core production facts but limited interpretive detail.
Why It Matters
Berlin Tower is part of Fairey's recurring engagement with cities, architecture, and place-based imagery, here centered on the iconic Berlin television tower. Such location prints connect to Fairey's extensive history of public art and mural work in cities worldwide, framing the architectural subject through his graphic, poster-style aesthetic. Signed and numbered in an edition of 450 and released at an accessible $45 with a one-per-household limit, the print was positioned for broad reach, typical of Obey Giant's standard poster drops. For collectors, the appeal lies in the recognizable urban landmark, the city-themed angle, and its place within Fairey's series of architecture and place prints rather than in scarcity. It serves as a representative example of how Fairey translates global cityscapes and landmarks into his signature graphic vocabulary, making it a meaningful entry for those who follow his place-based and travel-influenced work from the early 2010s.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to collectors drawn to Fairey's city- and architecture-themed work and to those with a connection to Berlin or its landmark tower. At 18 x 24 inches and an accessible $45 original price, it is an approachable, signed, and numbered piece well suited to entry-level and mid-level collectors. Its recognizable landmark subject gives it broad display appeal, particularly in spaces where a graphic cityscape resonates. It fits naturally into a grouping of Fairey's place-based prints and his urban public-art output. With a moderate edition of 450, it remains attainable while still offering the collectibility of a signed original, making it a practical addition for collectors building thematic breadth.
Historical Context
Berlin Tower sits within Fairey's prolific early-2010s Obey Giant period and reflects his ongoing interest in cities, architecture, and place, themes tied closely to his global mural and public-art practice. Translating the Berlin television tower into his graphic poster idiom, the print continues a pattern of works inspired by specific locations Fairey engaged with through travel and street art. As one of many accessible signed editions from 2013, it exemplifies his approach of producing widely available prints that document and stylize urban landmarks. Within his arc, the work reinforces his identity as an artist whose practice moves fluidly between street-level public art in real cities and the studio production of collectible graphic editions.
FAQ
What does Berlin Tower depict?
The print depicts the Berlin television tower, rendered in Fairey's graphic poster style. It is part of his recurring engagement with cities, architecture, and place-based imagery.
What are the edition and size?
According to the source, it is a signed and numbered screen print in an edition of 450, measuring 18 x 24 inches, released at $45 with a limit of one per person or household.
Who published the print and when?
It was published by Obey Giant in 2013. The source lists a release date of 3/17, with the edition priced accessibly at $45.
How does this fit Fairey's broader work?
It belongs to his series of city- and architecture-themed prints, connecting to his global mural and public-art practice in which he frequently engages with specific urban locations and landmarks.
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.