Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Slice It Up”?
Artist Statement
Some of my earliest inspiration in art and design comes from Punk and Post-Punk album art as well as the do-it-yourself ethos of the movements themselves. I love that Punk was not about virtuosity, but ingenuity, creativity, attitude, and fearlessness. If you don’t like it, rip it up, or slice it up, and start over. Malcolm McLaren once told me “be prolific, not precious”… words to live by. -Shepard 18 x 24 inch screen print. Signed and numbered edition of 100. $45. Release date: Thursday January 9, 2014
Summary
Slice It Up is a 2014 Shepard Fairey screen print, an 18 x 24 inch signed and numbered edition of 100 published by Obey Giant and released January 9, 2014. The work draws on Fairey's stated roots in Punk and Post-Punk album art and the do-it-yourself ethos of those movements. In his accompanying text he cites Malcolm McLaren's advice to 'be prolific, not precious' and the punk impulse to rip up or slice up work and start over. The print pairs Fairey's graphic, layered design language with counterculture-inspired typography and imagery tied to that punk sensibility.
Why It Matters
Slice It Up sits at the intersection of Fairey's two enduring obsessions: graphic design and music subculture. The accompanying artist text is unusually direct about where his aesthetic comes from, naming Punk and Post-Punk album art and the DIY ethic as foundational. That makes the print a useful document of Fairey's self-narrated influences rather than a one-off image. The Malcolm McLaren quote, 'be prolific, not precious,' is effectively a thesis statement for Fairey's high-volume editioned practice, where work is meant to circulate rather than be hoarded. For collectors, the appeal is the explicit link between Fairey's polished output and the rough, anti-virtuosity attitude of punk that he says shaped it. The small edition of 100 makes it scarcer than many of his Obey Giant releases, and the modest original price of 45 dollars reflects its accessible-but-limited positioning. Within the broader 2014 run of music and counterculture prints, Slice It Up is one of the clearest statements of why Fairey works the way he does, which gives it interpretive weight beyond its surface design.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to collectors drawn to the music and counterculture side of Fairey's catalog rather than his overtly political work. Punk and Post-Punk fans, DIY-design enthusiasts, and those who appreciate the connection between album-art history and street art will find it resonant. At 18 x 24 inches it frames cleanly and works well grouped with other 2014 music-themed Fairey editions, building a thematic wall around counterculture and sound. The edition of 100 is small enough to feel special without being unattainable, and its low original price made it an entry point for newer collectors. It fits naturally into a music-focused Fairey collection or a broader survey of his graphic influences.
Historical Context
Released in early 2014 through Obey Giant, Slice It Up belongs to a productive period in which Fairey issued numerous music- and collaboration-themed editions. The artist text grounds the work in the early-to-mid 1980s punk era that he repeatedly credits as formative to his sensibility, including the influence of figures like Malcolm McLaren. Rather than depicting a specific musician, the print distills the attitude of punk and post-punk culture into Fairey's own design idiom, making it a reflective, almost autobiographical piece within his arc. It demonstrates how, well into his career, Fairey continued to mine the subcultural roots that predate his fame, reaffirming the DIY and anti-precious values that underpin his prolific editioned output.
FAQ
What is the edition size of Slice It Up?
Slice It Up is a signed and numbered edition of 100. It was published by Obey Giant and released on Thursday, January 9, 2014, with an original price of 45 dollars, making it a relatively small edition within Fairey's catalog.
What inspired Slice It Up?
In his accompanying text, Fairey credits Punk and Post-Punk album art and the do-it-yourself ethos of those movements. He cites Malcolm McLaren's advice to 'be prolific, not precious' and the punk idea of ripping or slicing up work to start over.
What are the dimensions and medium?
It is an 18 x 24 inch screen print, signed and numbered by the artist.
Is this a political print?
Based on the source description, Slice It Up is rooted in music and counterculture rather than overt politics. Its focus is Fairey's punk and DIY design influences rather than a specific political message.
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.