Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Orion”?
Artist Statement
Like I mentioned in a previous post, I was asked to do the poster art for Metallica’s Orion Festival again this year. I hinted that there might be a molotov cocktail of rock iconography… BAM… there is, literally a molotov cocktail of 200 proof sonic elixir! I’ll be releasing a limited edition of 350 signed and numbered prints on Thursday the 6th. There will also be an unsigned litho version on thick paper available at the festival. The festival is June 8th and 9th and I think there are still some tickets available. Pick up a poster on site, or order it online . Keep rockin’ in the semi-free world. -Shepard 18 x 24 inch screen print. Signed and numbered edition of 350. Limit 1 per person/household. $55 Release Date: 6/6/2013
Summary
Orion is a 2013 screen print measuring 18 x 24 inches, a signed and numbered First Edition of 350 at $55, published by Obey Giant. Fairey created the poster art for Metallica's Orion Music + More festival, describing the design as "a molotov cocktail of rock iconography" packed with sonic elements. The signed edition was released on June 6, 2013, with an unsigned lithograph version on thick paper also available at the festival, which took place June 8th and 9th. The print was limited to one per person or household and represents Fairey's recurring work creating poster art for the Metallica-curated event.
Why It Matters
Orion captures Fairey's deep involvement with music culture and his recurring role designing poster art for Metallica's Orion festival. In his statement he describes packing the image with rock iconography, a "molotov cocktail of 200 proof sonic elixir," signaling a design built to celebrate the energy of the event. The piece sits within the large music strand of Fairey's catalogue, where his propaganda-derived graphic style is repurposed to honor bands, festivals and counterculture. Producing both a signed, numbered collector edition and an unsigned festival lithograph reflects his consistent strategy of serving both the collector market and the broader fan audience attending the show. For collectors, Orion's appeal lies in this intersection of Fairey's brand and Metallica's, a crossover that draws music fans and print collectors alike. Its tie to a specific, datable live event, the June 2013 Orion festival, gives it documentary value as a music-poster artifact, while the OBEY iconography woven into the rock imagery anchors it firmly in Fairey's signature visual world. It stands as a clear example of how he merges his activist-rooted aesthetic with the celebratory language of the concert poster.
Collector Perspective
Orion appeals to collectors at the crossroads of Fairey's print catalogue and music memorabilia, particularly Metallica and festival-poster enthusiasts. The signed and numbered edition of 350 at 18 x 24 inches is an accessible, display-friendly format that fits a music-themed collection well. Its tie to a specific 2013 festival gives it event provenance that concert-poster collectors prize, while the rock-iconography design and OBEY elements make it recognizably Fairey. The existence of an unsigned festival lithograph means the signed edition carries the premium of the limited run. It is a natural fit for collections organized around Fairey's music series or around the broader intersection of street art and rock culture, valued for its crossover identity.
Historical Context
Released in 2013, Orion belongs to the substantial music strand of Fairey's career, where he produced poster art for festivals, bands and counterculture figures. Fairey notes he was asked to create the Orion festival poster "again this year," underscoring an ongoing relationship with Metallica's curated event. Issuing a signed collector edition alongside an unsigned festival litho mirrors his recurring approach of serving both collectors and live-event attendees. The work reflects how Fairey's propaganda-rooted graphic language was readily adapted to the celebratory register of the concert poster, situating it within the broader pop-culture and music collaborations that fill much of his 2010s output.
FAQ
What event is this poster connected to?
According to the source, Fairey created the poster art for Metallica's Orion festival, held June 8th and 9th, 2013. He notes he was asked to do the festival's poster art again that year, indicating an ongoing relationship with the event.
How did Fairey describe the design?
In his statement, Fairey describes the image as "a molotov cocktail of rock iconography" and "200 proof sonic elixir," signaling a design packed with energetic rock and music elements drawn together in his signature graphic style.
What are the print's specifications?
The source lists Orion as an 18 x 24 inch screen print, signed and numbered in an edition of 350, published by Obey Giant and priced at $55, limited to one per person or household, released June 6, 2013.
Was there more than one version?
Yes. Alongside the signed and numbered edition of 350, the source notes an unsigned lithograph version on thick paper was available at the festival itself, giving attendees a more accessible option.
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.