Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Obey Royal Treatment Money”?
Artist Statement
18 inches by 24 inches. Screen print on cream Speckle Tone paper. Edition of 300. Signed by Shepard Fairey. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to 350.org. $55
Summary
Obey Royal Treatment Money is a 2016 screen print by Shepard Fairey on cream Speckletone paper, addressing themes of consumerism and power. Published by Obey Giant in an edition of 300, it measures 18 x 24 inches and is signed by the artist. The source notes that a portion of proceeds was donated to 350.org, the environmental organization. The print uses Fairey's decorative, ornamental visual language to critique money, wealth, and royal-style power, pairing with a companion skull variant in the same Royal Treatment release.
Why It Matters
Obey Royal Treatment Money fits Fairey's long-running critique of consumerism and concentrated power, rendered through his ornate, regal visual idiom that ironically dresses money in royal trappings. As one of a paired Royal Treatment release alongside a skull variant, it forms a small thematic set around wealth and mortality. The source notes a portion of proceeds was donated to 350.org, tying this commercial-critique image to environmental activism, a recurring crossover in Fairey's practice where the message and the cause reinforce each other. For collectors, the signed Obey Giant edition of 300 at 18 x 24 inches on Speckletone paper represents an accessible, attainable Fairey print relative to his large-format limited works. The royal-and-money iconography connects to a broader cluster of Fairey works examining capital, glory, and power, making it a useful anchor for collections focused on his corporate and consumerism critique. Its modest run and price keep it within reach for newer collectors while still carrying Fairey's signature and a documented charitable tie.
Collector Perspective
This print suits collectors interested in Fairey's consumerism and power critique and in his decorative, ornamental style. The signed Obey Giant edition of 300 at 18 x 24 inches and accessible price make it attainable for newer and mid-level collectors. The documented donation to 350.org adds appeal for buyers who value the cause alignment. As half of the paired Royal Treatment release, it is especially attractive to collectors who want both the money and skull variants together. It fits well in collections themed around money, power, and Fairey's corporate-critique iconography, and reads well displayed as a complementary pair.
Historical Context
Obey Royal Treatment Money belongs to Fairey's mid-2010s output critiquing consumerism and power, a theme threaded throughout his career. Published by Obey Giant in 2016, it pairs with a skull variant in the Royal Treatment release. The documented portion of proceeds donated to 350.org situates the print within Fairey's ongoing practice of linking his art to activist causes, here connecting wealth critique to environmental advocacy. Printed on cream Speckletone paper in a signed edition of 300, it reflects the accessible-format screen prints Fairey regularly released through Obey Giant alongside his larger limited works, extending his visual commentary on money, power, and the trappings of authority.
FAQ
What is Obey Royal Treatment Money?
It is a 2016 Shepard Fairey screen print on cream Speckletone paper addressing consumerism and power. Published by Obey Giant, it is signed by the artist and pairs with a companion skull variant in the same Royal Treatment release.
What are the edition size and dimensions?
It is an edition of 300, measuring 18 inches by 24 inches. It is a screen print on cream Speckletone paper and is signed by Shepard Fairey, with an original price of $55.
Was any of the proceeds donated?
Yes. According to the source, a portion of the proceeds was donated to 350.org, the environmental organization, linking this consumerism-critique print to Fairey's environmental activism.
Is there a matching print?
Yes. Obey Royal Treatment Money pairs with Obey Royal Treatment Skull, a companion variant from the same 2016 release, and the two are often collected together as a set.
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.