Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Destruction & Denial”?
Artist Statement
Destruction & Denial. 18 x 24 inches. Screen print on cream Speckletone paper. Signed by Shepard Fairey and Francisco Reyes Jr. Numbered edition of 200 (per diptych). $110.
Summary
Destruction & Denial is a 2017 screen print published by Obey Giant, measuring 18 x 24 inches on cream Speckletone paper. It is a first-edition work signed by Shepard Fairey and Francisco Reyes Jr. and numbered in an edition of 200 per diptych. As the source notes the print is editioned per diptych, it is designed to pair with a companion piece. The composition reflects Fairey's recurring critique of denial and societal breakdown, rendered in his graphic, propaganda-influenced visual vocabulary. The print was released July 11, 2017 at an original price of $110.
Why It Matters
Destruction & Denial sits within Fairey's collaborative output with Francisco Reyes Jr., a creative partner whose name appears alongside Fairey's signature on the print. The work's title pairs two charged words that echo Fairey's broader thematic interest in critiquing complacency, misinformation, and the failure to confront uncomfortable truths. Editioned per diptych, it is conceptually linked to a companion print, giving collectors who acquire both a more complete statement than either half delivers alone. At a modest original price of $110 and a mid-size edition of 200, it represents an accessible entry point into Fairey's 2017 screen-print releases while still carrying dual signatures that add provenance interest. The print's graphic clarity and confrontational language make it a representative example of how Fairey channels political and social anxiety into collectible fine-art objects. For collectors building a thematic set around Fairey's mid-2010s collaborations and his messaging on societal denial, this print functions as both a standalone graphic statement and one node in a larger interconnected body of work, which is where much of its lasting interest lies.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to collectors who pursue Fairey's collaborative and diptych works, particularly those drawn to dual-signed editions that add a second artist's hand to the provenance. The 18 x 24 inch format on cream Speckletone paper frames cleanly and suits a focused wall grouping, especially when displayed alongside its diptych companion. With an original price point of $110 and an edition of 200, it offers an approachable acquisition for newer collectors as well as completists assembling Fairey's 2017 releases. It fits naturally into a collection organized around collaborations or around Fairey's social-critique themes, and pairs well with related titles from the same period.
Historical Context
Destruction & Denial belongs to Fairey's prolific 2017 output, a period in which he released numerous screen prints and collaborative editions through Obey Giant. The mid-2010s saw Fairey deepening partnerships with other artists, and this print's dual signature with Francisco Reyes Jr. reflects that collaborative turn. Thematically it continues Fairey's long-running engagement with critiques of denial, misinformation, and societal complacency that run through his poster and propaganda work. Released July 11, 2017, it sits among a cluster of similarly themed 2017 editions, positioning it firmly within the Posters and Propaganda phase of his career where graphic agitprop and fine-art screen printing converge.
FAQ
What is the edition size of Destruction & Denial?
The print is a numbered edition of 200, with the source noting the count is per diptych, meaning it is designed to pair with a companion piece. Each print is signed by both Shepard Fairey and Francisco Reyes Jr., adding two artists' signatures to the provenance.
What are the dimensions and materials?
Destruction & Denial measures 18 x 24 inches and is a screen print on cream Speckletone paper. It was published by Obey Giant and released on July 11, 2017 at an original price of $110.
Who created this print with Shepard Fairey?
The print is a collaboration signed by Shepard Fairey and Francisco Reyes Jr. Both artists' signatures appear on the work, which is why it is categorized among Fairey's collaborative editions rather than his solo output.
Is this print part of a pair?
The source describes the edition of 200 as being per diptych, indicating the work is conceptually linked to a companion print. Collectors often seek both halves to complete the intended statement of the pairing.
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.