Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Lifeguard Not On Duty Letterpress”?
Artist Statement
42.5 x 34.9 cm. Signed and numbered edition of 450. 100% cotton archival paper with hand-deckled edges. OBEY publishing chop on bottom left corner.
Summary
Lifeguard Not On Duty is a 2016 letterpress print by Shepard Fairey, published by Galerie Itinerrance in a signed and numbered first edition of 450. It measures 42.5 x 34.9 cm and is printed on 100% cotton archival paper with hand-deckled edges, bearing the OBEY publishing chop in the bottom left corner. The title evokes a warning of absent protection or oversight, rendered in Fairey's graphic, propaganda-styled vocabulary. The print is one of a coordinated 2016 OBEY letterpress group sharing the same format, paper, and edition size, blending pop-culture sensibility with pointed social undertones.
Why It Matters
Lifeguard Not On Duty uses a deceptively simple phrase to hint at the absence of safeguards, watchfulness, or accountability, a recurring undercurrent in Fairey's work about power and protection. The familiar signage language is reframed as social commentary, characteristic of his knack for repurposing everyday phrases into pointed messages. As part of the 2016 Galerie Itinerrance letterpress group, the print shares its exact format and materials with companion releases, giving it value both on its own and as one piece of a collectible set. Collectors are drawn to the combination of accessible original pricing, a numbered edition of 450, and museum-grade materials: hand-deckled 100% cotton archival paper and an embossed letterpress impression that distinguishes it from Fairey's more common screen prints. The OBEY chop and signature provide provenance and authenticity. The cautionary tone connects the work to Fairey's wider engagement with social awareness, while its approachable size and price make it an easy entry point. Lifeguard Not On Duty captures his mid-2010s practice of producing thematically resonant, craft-forward editions that extend his iconography to a broad audience while preserving his critical voice.
Collector Perspective
Lifeguard Not On Duty appeals to collectors who value Fairey's letterpress craft and his subtly message-driven editions. With a numbered edition of 450 and accessible release pricing, it works well for newer collectors and for completists assembling the 2016 Galerie Itinerrance letterpress group. Its 42.5 x 34.9 cm format frames cleanly and pairs naturally with siblings such as Endless Power, Global Warning, and Paint It Black for coordinated series displays. The embossed letterpress impression on hand-deckled cotton paper delivers strong tactile, gallery-quality presence. Its understated cautionary title gives it interpretive depth for collectors who enjoy Fairey's social undertones, making it a fitting choice for those building a thematically connected group rather than chasing only his largest signature images.
Historical Context
Lifeguard Not On Duty belongs to Fairey's prolific mid-2010s output of frequent, affordably priced letterpress and screen-print editions issued through OBEY and partner galleries. Published by Galerie Itinerrance in Paris in 2016, it is one of a coordinated release of similarly formatted letterpress prints sharing paper stock, dimensions, and edition size. The cautionary tone of the title reflects Fairey's enduring interest in protection, oversight, and social awareness, themes woven through his broader catalog. The letterpress medium ties him to craft-printmaking traditions distinct from his signature screen prints, emphasizing process and material. By 2016 Fairey ran a mature studio practice that balanced museum and street work with a steady cadence of collectible editions, broadening his collector base while sustaining the critical undercurrent that has defined his work since the early OBEY years.
FAQ
What is the meaning of the title?
Lifeguard Not On Duty borrows familiar warning-sign language to suggest the absence of protection or oversight. Reframed as social commentary, it reflects Fairey's habit of repurposing everyday phrases into pointed messages within his graphic vocabulary.
What is the edition size and publisher?
It is a signed and numbered first edition of 450, published by Galerie Itinerrance in 2016. The print bears the OBEY publishing chop in the bottom left corner, indicating an authorized OBEY release.
What are the dimensions and materials?
The print measures 42.5 x 34.9 cm and is produced on 100% cotton archival paper with hand-deckled edges using the letterpress process, giving it a tactile, embossed impression.
Does it belong to a series?
Yes. It is part of a coordinated group of 2016 Galerie Itinerrance letterpress releases sharing the same format, archival cotton paper, and edition of 450, alongside Endless Power, Global Warning, and Paint It Black.
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.