Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “George Clinton Flash Light”?
Artist Statement
I remember hearing George Clinton's "Atomic Dog" as a kid, but I didn't really become hip to P-Funk (Parliament and Funkadelic) until the late 80's, and early 90's. At that time I realized how much of my favorite hip hop included samples from P-Funk and George's other projects as a creator and producer. Clinton's P-Funk inspired the West Coast G-Funk sound, and his influence can be heard all over the N.W.A family tree of Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Ice Cube as well as contemporaries like Ice-T, Digital Underground, Tupac, De La Soul, Public Enemy, Notorious BIG, Wu-Tang and many more. Clinton has worked with acts as diverse as Zapp & Roger, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Kendrick Lamar, his contribution to modern music is massive. I met George at Art Basel in 2009 when he stopped by to check out a mural that I was creating. He was friendly and funny, so I felt at ease. George mentioned that he made art and said he might want to stop by my studio in LA sometime and I thought he was just being cordial, but sure enough, he has dropped by a couple of times! We talked about music, including drug raids and police harassment when he toured with fellow Detroit natives The MC5. We also talked about me doing a portrait of him and the time finally came when I was asked to be part of a P-Funk art show. "Flash Light" is one of my favorite Parliament songs, so I riffed on that as an opportunity to put the spotlight on a musical hero of mine who happens to be a very cool and funny guy. – Shepard George Clinton Flash Light. 18 x 24 inches. Screen Print on cream Speckle Tone paper. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Edition of 450. $65.
Summary
George Clinton Flash Light is a 2016 screen print by Shepard Fairey, published by Obey Giant in an edition of 450. It measures 18 by 24 inches and is printed on cream Speckle Tone paper. The portrait honors funk pioneer George Clinton, leader of Parliament and Funkadelic (P-Funk), and riffs on the Parliament song 'Flash Light.' In his note, Fairey traces Clinton's vast influence on hip-hop and West Coast G-Funk, recounts meeting him at Art Basel in 2009, and describes the portrait as a chance to spotlight a personal musical hero. Signed by Shepard Fairey at $65.
Why It Matters
George Clinton Flash Light is a heartfelt entry in Fairey's deep catalog of music portraiture, honoring a foundational funk figure whose influence Fairey ties directly to the hip-hop he grew up on. The print's title riffs on the Parliament song 'Flash Light,' and the accompanying note maps Clinton's reach across G-Funk, the N.W.A family tree, and contemporary artists, framing the work as a tribute to a genuinely pivotal musician. What elevates it beyond a generic homage is Fairey's personal connection: he recounts meeting Clinton at Art Basel in 2009 and Clinton later visiting his LA studio, lending the portrait real biographical weight. Rendered in Fairey's bold, high-contrast graphic style on cream Speckle Tone paper, it fits squarely within his tradition of memorializing musical heroes. For collectors, it bridges fine-art print collecting with the legacy of funk and hip-hop, appealing to music fans and Fairey enthusiasts alike. The edition of 450 is moderate within his output, and the accessible original price makes it an approachable signed portrait. As part of a long line of Fairey music tributes, it strengthens any collection centered on the artist's engagement with the musicians who shaped his sensibility.
Collector Perspective
This portrait suits music-portrait collectors, funk and hip-hop fans, and Fairey enthusiasts who appreciate works with a personal backstory. The documented relationship, meeting Clinton at Art Basel and his studio visits, gives the piece narrative appeal beyond the image itself. The 18-by-24-inch format is easy to frame and pairs naturally with Fairey's other musician portraits, making it a building block for a music-focused wall. The cream Speckle Tone paper lends a warm, tactile quality. With a signed edition of 450 and a modest original price, it is an accessible signed Fairey portrait. It anchors a collection devoted to funk, hip-hop lineage, and Fairey's ongoing music-tribute series alongside his many other musician prints.
Historical Context
Music and counterculture are central to Fairey's career, and his portraits repeatedly memorialize the musicians who shaped his taste. George Clinton Flash Light, released in 2016, belongs to this long-running tribute tradition and was created for a P-Funk art show, per Fairey's note. The work reflects his mature studio practice of rendering influential musicians in his signature graphic style on specialty paper. Fairey's account of meeting Clinton at Art Basel in 2009 and the funk legend's later studio visits grounds the portrait in a real relationship rather than distant admiration. By spotlighting Clinton's foundational influence on hip-hop and G-Funk, the print connects Fairey's own musical roots to the broader cultural lineage he honors throughout his music portraiture.
FAQ
Who is the subject and what is the title about?
The subject is funk pioneer George Clinton, leader of Parliament and Funkadelic (P-Funk). The title riffs on the Parliament song 'Flash Light,' one of Fairey's favorites, which he used as a way to spotlight a personal musical hero.
Did Fairey know George Clinton?
Per Fairey's note, he met Clinton at Art Basel in 2009 when Clinton stopped by a mural he was creating, and Clinton later dropped by his LA studio a couple of times. The portrait was created when Fairey was asked to be part of a P-Funk art show.
What are the size, paper, and edition?
It measures 18 by 24 inches and is printed on cream Speckle Tone paper. It is a signed screen print in an edition of 450, published by Obey Giant in 2016 at an original price of $65.
Why is George Clinton significant?
Fairey's note describes Clinton's P-Funk as the inspiration for West Coast G-Funk and a major influence across hip-hop, from Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg to Kendrick Lamar, calling his contribution to modern music massive.
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.