Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Tested Performance”?
Artist Statement
42 x 42 Large Format Serigraph. Signed and Numbered Edition of 50. 1 Color printed on Varnished 100% Cotton Rag Archival Paper. $600. Purchase Limit of 1 per person/household. Ships rolled with Certificate of Authenticity. Release Date: June 12, 2014
Summary
Tested Performance is a 2014 Shepard Fairey large-format serigraph published by Obey Giant, measuring 42 x 42 inches. It is a one-color print on varnished 100% cotton rag archival paper, issued as a signed and numbered edition of 50. The release carried a one-per-person purchase limit and shipped rolled with a Certificate of Authenticity. With its monumental square format and single-color graphic treatment, the work draws on Fairey's collaborations and pop-culture themes, with secondary ties to portraits and legacy. It belongs to his 2014 program of large-format collectible serigraphs.
Why It Matters
Tested Performance is a representative example of Fairey's 2014 large-format serigraph series, marked by its 42 x 42 inch scale, single-color printing, and tight edition of 50. The combination of monumental size and restrained color foregrounds his graphic-design instincts, where composition and line carry the image without reliance on a broad palette. The documented one-per-household purchase limit and shipment with a Certificate of Authenticity reflect the controlled, collector-focused distribution typical of these premium releases. Thematically the work spans collaborations and pop culture with a secondary portraits-and-legacy dimension, situating it among Fairey's culturally referential output. For collectors, the appeal lies in the small edition, the archival cotton rag substrate, and the statement-piece scale that makes it a centerpiece rather than an accent. It sits comfortably alongside companion 2014 releases such as Classic Disks, with which it shares format, edition size, medium, and release timing, allowing collectors to build a coherent grouping of same-program large-format works from this productive year in Fairey's serigraph practice.
Collector Perspective
Tested Performance suits collectors who want a large-scale Fairey serigraph with a tightly limited edition. At 42 x 42 inches on archival cotton rag, it functions as a centerpiece work for a substantial wall, and its single-color graphic treatment reads cleanly from a distance. The edition of 50 and documented purchase limit appeal to buyers who value scarcity within Fairey's catalog. The included Certificate of Authenticity supports provenance for collectors focused on documentation. It pairs naturally with Classic Disks, released the same day at identical specifications, and fits a collection oriented around Fairey's 2014 large-format collaborative and pop-culture serigraphs.
Historical Context
Tested Performance is part of Fairey's 2014 large-format serigraph output through Obey Giant, the run of 42 x 42 inch single-color works that defined his collectible fine-art releases that year. The controlled distribution, purchase limits, and Certificate of Authenticity reflect how Fairey's studio managed demand for these premium editions. Within his broader arc, these works represent the scaling-up of the screen-printing discipline he developed from his early OBEY and street-poster practice into limited, gallery-oriented pieces. The secondary portraits-and-legacy theme connects it to his enduring interest in cultural figures and referential imagery.
FAQ
What are the dimensions and medium of Tested Performance?
It is a 42 x 42 inch large-format serigraph, printed in one color on varnished 100% cotton rag archival paper. The square format and single-color treatment emphasize bold graphic composition, and the archival substrate supports long-term display.
What is the edition size and price?
Tested Performance is a signed and numbered edition of 50, published by Obey Giant in 2014. The record lists an original price of $600 with a purchase limit of one per person or household.
Does it come with authentication?
The record states the print ships rolled with a Certificate of Authenticity, which supports provenance and documentation for collectors who prioritize verified ownership records.
When was it released?
The record gives a release date of June 12, 2014, through Obey Giant. It shares this date and its specifications with the companion print Classic Disks.
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.