Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Samuel”?
Artist Statement
SAMUEL Screen Print 18 x 24 inches Edition of 140
Summary
Samuel is a 1999 screen print, 18 x 24 inches, published by Obey Giant in a first edition of 140. The source lists a price of 25, along with the title, medium, dimensions, and edition size, but provides no description of the imagery. It belongs to Fairey's late-1990s Obey Giant screen prints, catalogued within his collaborations and pop-culture strand. With a stated edition of 140, it is a slightly larger run than many of his 100-piece editions from the same period.
Why It Matters
Samuel is one of the late-1990s Obey Giant editions that document Fairey's prolific screen-printing output during his formative years after the Andre the Giant sticker campaign. Its slightly larger first edition of 140, compared with the common 100-piece runs of the period, gives it a small distinguishing detail for collectors tracking edition sizes across his catalog. The record also preserves an original price point of 25, a useful data anchor for understanding how affordably Fairey's early prints were initially offered. Without a documented description, any claim about the subject would be speculation, so the print's significance rests on its date, edition size, and catalog placement rather than on a known image. For a knowledge graph, the honest value is in situating Samuel among its same-period cohort and noting the few concrete facts the record supplies. Collectors pursuing completeness across Fairey's early editions, or those interested in the economics of his initial print releases, will find this a relevant entry, while recognizing that fuller interpretation awaits documentation of the actual imagery.
Collector Perspective
Samuel appeals to completist collectors of Fairey's early Obey Giant editions who want to fill out the late-1990s portion of his catalog. Its first edition of 140 is a slightly larger run than the period's common 100-piece editions, a detail edition-focused collectors note. The recorded original price of 25 is of interest to those who track how Fairey's prints were first offered. Because the source includes no description, the imagery is undocumented here, so buyers should review images before purchasing. For display, it fits best within a grouping of same-period screen prints rather than as a standalone feature, and its appeal rests on catalog placement and provenance details.
Historical Context
Samuel dates to 1999, during Fairey's prolific late-1990s Obey Giant screen-printing period that followed the spread of the Andre the Giant sticker campaign and preceded his Obama-era prominence. The record files it under his collaborations and pop-culture strand and supplies a few concrete facts, including a first edition of 140 and an original price of 25, but no description of the imagery. Its slightly larger edition size sets it apart from the many 100-piece runs of the era. With imagery undocumented, its place in Fairey's arc is anchored by these catalog facts.
FAQ
What is Samuel by Shepard Fairey?
Samuel is a 1999 screen print, 18 x 24 inches, published by Obey Giant in a first edition of 140. The record lists the title, medium, dimensions, edition size, and an original price of 25, but no description of the imagery.
How large is the edition?
The source lists a first edition of 140, published by Obey Giant. This is slightly larger than the 100-piece editions common in many of Fairey's prints from the same period.
What was its original price?
The record lists a price of 25, indicating an affordable original release point. No later or resale values are provided in the source.
What does the print depict?
The source does not include a description of the imagery, so the specific subject is not documented here. Prospective buyers should consult images directly to confirm the content.
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.