Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Classic Disks”?
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.
Summary
Classic Disks 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-household purchase limit and shipped rolled with a Certificate of Authenticity. Its monumental square format and single-color graphic treatment align with Fairey's collaborations and pop-culture themes, with secondary ties to portraits and legacy. The work belongs to his 2014 program of large-format collectible serigraphs released through Obey Giant.
Why It Matters
Classic Disks exemplifies Fairey's 2014 large-format serigraph series, defined by its 42 x 42 inch scale, single-color printing, and edition of 50. The pairing of monumental size with a restrained single color showcases his graphic-design strengths, where the image depends on composition and contrast rather than color range. Documented controls including a one-per-household purchase limit and shipment with a Certificate of Authenticity reflect the deliberate, collector-oriented distribution of these premium editions. Thematically the print spans collaborations and pop culture with a secondary portraits-and-legacy dimension, situating it within Fairey's culturally referential body of work. For collectors, the value lies in the small edition, archival cotton rag substrate, and statement-piece scale suited to anchoring a wall. Classic Disks is a natural companion to Tested Performance, released the same day at identical specifications, enabling collectors to assemble a coherent pairing or grouping of same-program large-format works. It represents a productive, fine-art-focused strand of Fairey's mid-2010s practice and rewards buyers who appreciate disciplined, large-scale screen printing.
Collector Perspective
Classic Disks appeals to collectors seeking a large, tightly editioned Fairey serigraph. At 42 x 42 inches on archival cotton rag, it serves as a centerpiece work, and its single-color graphic treatment reads boldly across a room. The edition of 50 and documented purchase limit draw buyers who value scarcity within Fairey's catalog, while the included Certificate of Authenticity supports provenance for documentation-minded collectors. It pairs directly with Tested Performance, released the same day at identical specifications, making the two a logical acquisition together. The print fits a collection built around Fairey's 2014 large-format collaborative and pop-culture serigraphs and rewards ambitious display.
Historical Context
Classic Disks is part of Fairey's 2014 large-format serigraph program through Obey Giant, the run of 42 x 42 inch single-color works that anchored his collectible fine-art releases that year. The purchase limits and Certificate of Authenticity reflect the studio's managed approach to distributing these premium editions. Within Fairey's arc, the work represents the scaling-up of the screen-printing craft developed during his early OBEY and street-poster years into limited, gallery-oriented pieces. Its secondary portraits-and-legacy theme connects to his ongoing engagement with cultural and referential imagery across his career.
FAQ
What are the dimensions and medium of Classic Disks?
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 preservation and display.
What is the edition size and price?
Classic Disks 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 the print include authentication?
The record states it ships rolled with a Certificate of Authenticity, supporting provenance and documentation for collectors who value verified ownership records.
How does it relate to Tested Performance?
Both were released in 2014 with identical 42x42 specifications and an edition of 50, sharing the same medium, paper, and distribution terms. They function as natural companion works within Fairey's 2014 large-format serigraph series.
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.