Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Black Sabbath - The End (Silver)”?
Artist Statement
The End, Silver Edition. 18 inches by 24 inches screen print on cream Speckle Tone paper. Numbered edition of 325. Signed by Shepard Fairey. $50 each.
Summary
Black Sabbath - The End (Silver) is a 2016 Shepard Fairey screen print published by Obey Giant, printed on cream Speckle Tone paper at 18 by 24 inches. It is a signed, numbered edition of 325 and was offered alongside Red and Gold variants. Created in connection with Black Sabbath's 'The End' farewell tour, the print applies Fairey's bold graphic style to the legendary heavy-metal band's imagery. Released February 23, 2016, at an original price of $50 each, it is part of his music-related output and carries the visual hallmarks of his poster work.
Why It Matters
This print connects Fairey's graphic-design practice to one of the most influential bands in heavy-metal history, marking Black Sabbath's 'The End' farewell tour. For collectors, the value lies in that crossover: a Fairey edition celebrating a foundational rock act, issued in a documented variant series of Silver, Red, and Gold. The source confirms it is a signed, numbered screen print of 325 on cream Speckle Tone paper, placing it among his music-themed limited editions where band iconography meets his propaganda-influenced poster aesthetic. Within his catalog, music collaborations are a recurring and beloved category, and a tribute tied to Black Sabbath's final tour gives the piece a built-in audience among music fans as well as art collectors. The multi-color variant structure also creates a small set-collecting dynamic, where pursuing all three editions becomes its own goal. While the record provides limited narrative detail beyond the production facts, the subject's cultural weight and the relatively modest edition size make this an attractive, recognizable music-poster entry. It demonstrates how Fairey's signature bold lettering and high-contrast composition lend themselves naturally to concert and band commemorative art.
Collector Perspective
This print draws Shepard Fairey collectors and Black Sabbath or heavy-metal fans alike, sitting squarely in his music-themed catalog. As a signed, numbered edition of 325 on cream Speckle Tone paper, it is a tangible memento of the band's 'The End' farewell tour and displays well in a music room, studio, or band-poster grouping. The Silver, Red, and Gold variant structure invites set collecting, giving dedicated buyers a reason to seek the full trio. Its bold, high-contrast graphic treatment makes it striking from across a room. With an accessible original price and a recognizable subject, it suits both seasoned Fairey collectors filling out their music holdings and music fans buying their first art print.
Historical Context
Black Sabbath - The End belongs to Fairey's steady stream of music-related editions, a category that runs throughout his career and connects his street-art roots to his deep affinity for rock and punk. The source ties it to Black Sabbath's 'The End' farewell tour and dates the release to early 2016, situating it among his mid-2010s music projects produced through Obey Giant. Issued in Silver, Red, and Gold variants, it reflects his habit of releasing multiple colorways of a single design. The piece extends a long tradition in his work of honoring musicians whose rebellious spirit aligns with his own sensibility, applying his propaganda-influenced poster style to a band that helped define heavy metal. It stands alongside his other concert and band commemorative prints as an example of how Fairey's graphic language commemorates landmark moments in music history.
FAQ
What is Black Sabbath - The End (Silver)?
It is a 2016 Shepard Fairey screen print connected to Black Sabbath's 'The End' tour, printed on cream Speckle Tone paper at 18 by 24 inches. Published by Obey Giant, it is signed and numbered in an edition of 325 at an original price of $50.
What color editions were offered?
According to the source, the print was released in three variants: Silver, Red, and Gold. The Silver edition described here was printed on cream Speckle Tone paper in a numbered edition of 325.
What are the size and medium?
The work is a screen print measuring 18 inches by 24 inches on cream Speckle Tone paper, published by Obey Giant in 2016 and signed by Shepard Fairey.
How large is the edition?
The Silver edition is a numbered edition of 325 prints, each signed by Shepard Fairey, per the source record. It originally sold for $50 each.
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.