Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Respect And Justice 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
Respect And Justice 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 foregrounds themes of civil rights and justice, rendered in Fairey's graphic, propaganda-styled vocabulary. The print belongs to a coordinated 2016 OBEY letterpress group that shares the same format, paper, and edition size, channeling Fairey's enduring commitment to social and civil-rights causes.
Why It Matters
Respect And Justice puts Fairey's civil-rights and social-justice convictions at the center, making explicit the values that have driven much of his activist art. Where some titles in the 2016 letterpress group lean toward pop culture or consumerism, this print states its theme plainly, aligning with his broader body of justice-oriented imagery. As part of the Galerie Itinerrance letterpress group, it shares format and materials with companion releases, giving it value both individually and within a collectible set. Collectors value 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 these works from Fairey's more common screen prints. The OBEY chop and signature provide provenance and authenticity. The justice theme connects the print to a long lineage of Fairey works addressing civil rights, equity, and social conscience, giving it resonance for collectors who prioritize message-driven art. Respect And Justice captures his mid-2010s practice of producing thematically committed, craft-forward, affordably priced editions that extend his activist voice to a broad audience while maintaining the integrity of his cause-based work.
Collector Perspective
Respect And Justice appeals to collectors focused on Fairey's civil-rights and social-justice work, as well as those who appreciate his letterpress craft. Its numbered edition of 450 and accessible release price make it approachable for newer buyers and a meaningful target for completists of the 2016 Galerie Itinerrance letterpress group. The 42.5 x 34.9 cm format frames cleanly and pairs naturally with thematically related justice prints like Scales Of Injustice and Peace & Justice Summit. The embossed letterpress impression on hand-deckled cotton paper gives strong tactile, gallery-quality presence. Its clear justice message makes it especially fitting for collectors building around Fairey's activist themes rather than only his most iconic political portraits, and it anchors a values-driven display well.
Historical Context
Respect And Justice belongs to Fairey's prolific mid-2010s output of frequent, affordably priced letterpress and screen-print editions through OBEY and partner galleries. Published by Galerie Itinerrance in Paris in 2016, it is part of a coordinated release of similarly formatted letterpress prints sharing paper stock, dimensions, and edition size. Its civil-rights and justice theme situates it within Fairey's long arc of cause-driven work, a strand running from his early political imagery through his ongoing engagement with equity, accountability, and social conscience. The letterpress medium ties him to craft-printmaking traditions distinct from his signature screen prints. By 2016 Fairey ran a mature studio balancing gallery exhibitions, public murals, and a steady cadence of collectible editions, using titles like this to keep justice-oriented messaging central to his practice while reaching a wide and engaged collector base.
FAQ
What is the theme of Respect And Justice?
The print centers on civil rights and justice, as indicated by both its title and the source's primary theme classification. It reflects Fairey's longstanding commitment to social-justice and civil-rights causes within his graphic, message-driven practice.
What is the edition size and publisher?
Respect And Justice is a signed and numbered first edition of 450, published by Galerie Itinerrance in 2016. It bears the OBEY publishing chop in the bottom left corner, marking it as an authorized OBEY release.
What are the dimensions and materials?
It measures 42.5 x 34.9 cm and is printed on 100% cotton archival paper with hand-deckled edges using the letterpress process, producing a tactile, embossed impression on the cotton stock.
Is it related to other justice-themed prints?
Yes. It connects thematically to other Fairey civil-rights and justice works, including Scales Of Injustice from 2016 and Peace & Justice Summit, while also belonging to the coordinated 2016 Galerie Itinerrance letterpress 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.