Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Green Power (Offset Poster)”?
Artist Statement
Green Power. 24 x 36 inches. Offset poster on cream Speckletone paper. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Open edition (not numbered). $35
Summary
Green Power (Offset Poster) is a 2017 offset lithograph published by Obey Giant, measuring 24 x 36 inches on cream Speckletone paper. It is a signed open edition, not numbered, released at an original price of $35. The work joins Fairey's power-and-consumerism motifs with a green palette, extending his Power series into an accessible poster format. As an open-edition offset poster rather than a numbered screen print, it was produced at scale for broad distribution. Released August 8, 2017, it offers an entry-level, signed Fairey work at a low price point.
Why It Matters
Green Power exemplifies Fairey's strategy of making his imagery widely accessible through open-edition offset posters priced for broad reach. At an original $35 and signed but not numbered, it lowers the barrier to owning an authentic, artist-signed Fairey work, embodying the democratic, populist spirit that has defined his practice since his early street campaigns. The image extends his recurring Power motif, which interrogates notions of power and consumerism, here through a green-toned treatment that invites associations with renewal or alternative forms of power. The large 24 x 36 inch poster format gives it strong wall presence despite its modest cost. Because it is an open edition, its appeal rests more on accessibility and Fairey's signature than on scarcity, and the database correctly avoids treating it as rare. For collectors, Green Power functions as an affordable signed introduction to Fairey's Power body of work and as a poster that pairs well with his other power-themed and offset releases. Its role within Fairey's accessible-distribution practice is itself part of what makes it culturally meaningful, reflecting his commitment to art beyond elite gatekeeping.
Collector Perspective
This poster suits collectors seeking an affordable, signed Fairey work and those building around his Power and consumerism themes. As a signed open edition at an original $35, it is among the most accessible authentic Fairey pieces, ideal for newer collectors or as a complement to higher-tier power-themed prints. The 24 x 36 inch format delivers strong wall presence at a low cost. Because it is open edition and not numbered, its appeal rests on accessibility and the artist's signature rather than scarcity. It fits a collection organized around the Power series, accessible offset works, or Fairey's broader political imagery.
Historical Context
Green Power belongs to Fairey's 2017 Obey Giant releases and extends his recurring Power motif into an open-edition offset poster. Released August 8, 2017, it reflects Fairey's longstanding practice of issuing affordable, signed offset posters alongside his limited screen prints, a strategy rooted in his street-art ethos of broad accessibility. The offset lithograph medium allows for larger production runs than numbered screen prints, supporting wide distribution at a low price. Thematically it continues his critique of power and consumerism, and chronologically it sits within the Posters and Propaganda phase of his career, where his accessible-distribution model and political messaging operate in tandem.
FAQ
Is Green Power a numbered edition?
No. The source describes it as a signed open edition that is not numbered. It was published by Obey Giant and released August 8, 2017 at an original price of $35, making it one of Fairey's accessible, broadly distributed signed posters.
What are the dimensions and medium?
Green Power measures 24 x 36 inches and is an offset lithograph on cream Speckletone paper. The offset poster format allows for a larger production run than numbered screen prints, supporting its low price and wide availability.
Why is this print so affordable?
As an open-edition offset poster signed but not numbered, Green Power was produced for broad distribution at an original $35. Its accessibility reflects Fairey's longstanding practice of offering affordable signed works alongside his limited screen prints.
What theme does Green Power address?
The work extends Fairey's recurring Power motif, which critiques notions of power and consumerism, here through a green-toned treatment. It belongs to a cluster of his Power-themed releases that examine how power and consumption intersect.
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.