Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Power & Glory Day Of The Dead Skull (Large Format)”?
Artist Statement
Edition of 75 Screenprints 30"x40" on Hand Deckled Coventry Rag Fine Art Paper Signed and Numbered by: Shepard Fairey and Ernesto Yerena Montejano Printed by Modern Multiples
Summary
Power & Glory Day Of The Dead Skull (Large Format) is a 2017 large-format screen print measuring 30 x 40 inches on hand-deckled Coventry Rag fine art paper. Published by Hecho Con Ganas and printed by Modern Multiples, it is an edition of 75, signed and numbered by Shepard Fairey and Ernesto Yerena Montejano. The source lists this as the Black / Gold colorway among several variants. The image merges Fairey's power-and-consumerism critique with Day of the Dead skull imagery at imposing scale. Released July 21, 2017 at an original price of $500.
Why It Matters
Power & Glory Day of the Dead Skull is a large-format collaboration between Shepard Fairey and Ernesto Yerena Montejano that fuses Fairey's Power & Glory critique with Day of the Dead iconography, a recurring motif in Yerena's practice rooted in Mexican and Chicano cultural traditions. This cultural layer distinguishes the print from Fairey's solo power-themed work and reflects the meaningful creative exchange at the heart of their partnership. Offered in multiple colorways including this Black / Gold variant, the work gives collectors variant-specific collecting opportunities within a single image. Produced at 30 x 40 inches on hand-deckled Coventry Rag paper and printed by Modern Multiples, it is a premium object whose large scale and fine-art materials elevate it above standard editions. With an edition of 75 and an original price of $500, it occupies a more exclusive tier of Fairey's 2017 output. For collectors drawn to cross-cultural political art, Fairey-Yerena collaborations, or statement-scale screen prints, this release carries strong appeal, combining bold visual impact with the cultural resonance of its Day of the Dead imagery and the prestige of its production.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to collectors seeking large-scale statement works and to those who follow Fairey's collaborations with Ernesto Yerena Montejano, especially collectors interested in Day of the Dead and Chicano cultural imagery. The availability of multiple colorways, including this Black / Gold variant, gives variant collectors additional pursuit options. At 30 x 40 inches on hand-deckled Coventry Rag paper with an edition of 75 and dual signatures, it offers premium presence and exclusivity, reflected in its original $500 price. It fits a collection organized around collaborations, power and consumerism themes, or cultural-identity imagery, and pairs directly with its 'Merica companion print.
Historical Context
Power & Glory Day of the Dead Skull belongs to the Fairey-Yerena Power & Glory collaboration, released July 21, 2017 through Yerena's Hecho Con Ganas imprint and printed by Modern Multiples. The Day of the Dead skull reflects Yerena's engagement with Mexican and Chicano cultural traditions, layered onto Fairey's critique of power and consumerism. Issued in several colorways, the work exemplifies the large-format, fine-art direction of Fairey's more ambitious 2010s editions, where street-derived imagery is rendered at gallery scale. Chronologically and thematically it sits within the Posters and Propaganda phase of Fairey's career, marked by pointed political and cultural messaging produced in collaboration with allied artists.
FAQ
What colorways exist for this print?
The source lists Black / Gold, Large Format, and Red among the editions. This record represents the Black / Gold large-format variant, an edition of 75 signed and numbered by both artists. Variant collectors may pursue more than one colorway of the same image.
What are the dimensions and materials?
The print measures 30 x 40 inches on hand-deckled Coventry Rag fine art paper and was printed by Modern Multiples. Published by Hecho Con Ganas on July 21, 2017, its large format and fine-art paper position it as a premium edition originally priced at $500.
Who created this print?
It is a collaboration between Shepard Fairey and Ernesto Yerena Montejano, both of whom sign and number each print. The Day of the Dead skull imagery reflects Yerena's engagement with Mexican and Chicano cultural traditions layered onto Fairey's power critique.
Is there a related companion print?
Yes. The Power & Glory 'Merica large-format print was released the same day with the same edition size of 75, paper, printer, and dual signatures, making the two works direct companions within the Power & Glory series.
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.