Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Smoke 'Em While You Got 'Em (Relief Print)”?
Artist Statement
3-color relief print on handmade paper, 40 ½ x 30 ½ inches, Edition of 25, Published by Pace Editions, Inc.
Summary
Smoke 'Em While You Got 'Em is a 2015 Shepard Fairey relief print, published by Pace Editions (Pace Prints) on September 17, 2015. It is a 3-color relief print on handmade paper, measuring 40 1/2 x 30 1/2 inches, in an edition of 25. The title's vernacular phrasing about seizing pleasures while they last fits Fairey's wry engagement with consumer culture and its appetites. As a large-format, hand-printed relief work on handmade paper from a fine-art publisher, it sits among Fairey's more exclusive editions rather than his higher-volume self-published screen prints.
Why It Matters
Smoke 'Em While You Got 'Em matters as a fine-art relief print whose vernacular title channels the fatalistic logic of consumption: take what you can while it lasts. That phrasing lets Fairey comment on appetite, scarcity, and the throwaway ethos of consumer culture in his characteristically pointed, ironic register. Produced with Pace Editions as a 3-color relief print on handmade paper in an edition of only 25, the work carries the scarcity, craft, and publisher prestige that mark Fairey's gallery-oriented output, distinct from his mass-market screen prints. The relief process and handmade stock give it a tactile, labor-intensive surface, while the large 40 x 30 inch format makes it a commanding wall piece. For collectors, the tiny edition and respected publisher signal a substantial, collectible Fairey work. It belongs to a tightly linked suite of Pace relief prints released the same day, all sharing format, edition size, and a unifying critique of consumption and power, so it reads most fully as part of that cohesive group.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to collectors focused on Fairey's fine-art editions and his consumer-culture critique. The Pace Editions imprint, relief technique, handmade paper, and edition of 25 reward buyers who value scarcity, craft, and publisher pedigree over wide availability. At 40 1/2 x 30 1/2 inches it serves as a large focal piece rather than one element in a crowded grid. It pairs naturally with the companion Pace relief prints from the same day, completing a coherent suite. Collectors drawn to Fairey's wry, vernacular commentary on appetite and consumption, or seeking his most gallery-oriented prints, will find this a distinctive and worthwhile addition.
Historical Context
Smoke 'Em While You Got 'Em dates to 2015 and is part of Fairey's collaboration with Pace Editions, reflecting his mid-2010s engagement with fine-art printmaking alongside self-published Obey Giant screen prints. The relief process and handmade paper signal a turn toward traditional craft, distinct from the silkscreen techniques rooted in his street-art origins. The colloquial title continues Fairey's habit of borrowing everyday and commercial language to frame critiques of consumer behavior. The print belongs to a same-day suite of Pace relief works, marking a cohesive, publisher-backed body of fine-art output centered on consumption and power.
FAQ
What does the title suggest?
Smoke 'Em While You Got 'Em uses a vernacular phrase about seizing pleasures while they last. The wording fits Fairey's ironic engagement with consumer culture, appetite, and the throwaway logic of a market-driven society.
What is the edition size and publisher?
It is an edition of 25, published by Pace Editions, Inc. (Pace Prints) in 2015. The small edition and respected fine-art publisher distinguish it from Fairey's higher-volume, self-published Obey Giant screen prints.
How was it made?
It is a 3-color relief print on handmade paper, measuring 40 1/2 x 30 1/2 inches. Relief printing and handmade stock give the work a tactile, craft-forward quality that differs from the smooth surfaces of Fairey's screen prints.
Is it part of a set?
Yes. It belongs to a suite of Pace relief prints released on September 17, 2015, all sharing the same format, edition of 25, and a common critique of consumption and power. The prints function most effectively as a cohesive group.
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.