Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Obey X Kai & Sunny (2017) (Red)”?
Artist Statement
Hand pulled 7 colour screen print Black, blue, dark blue, aqua, coral, red and pink On 100% cotton somerset satin 310gsm tub size Hand Deckled by Artist Size: 57cm x 57cm (22.5 x 22.5 inches) Edition of 200 Signed, numbered and Stamped by Shepard Fairey + Kai & Sunny This print comes with an authentication certificate Price: $250
Summary
Obey X Kai & Sunny (2017) (Red) is a collaborative screen print published by Subliminal Projects in 2017. It is a hand-pulled 7-color screen print (black, blue, dark blue, aqua, coral, red and pink) on 100% cotton Somerset Satin 310gsm, hand-deckled by the artist, measuring 57 x 57 cm (22.5 x 22.5 inches). The edition of 200 is signed, numbered and stamped by Shepard Fairey and Kai & Sunny, and comes with an authentication certificate. Offered at $250, the Red version is one of two colorways alongside a Yellow edition.
Why It Matters
This print is a direct collaboration between Shepard Fairey and the British design duo Kai & Sunny, making it a standout in his catalog of joint projects. The technical ambition is its headline feature: a hand-pulled seven-color screen print across a rich palette, printed on heavy 310gsm Somerset Satin cotton and hand-deckled by the artist. That level of craft, combined with a comparatively small edition of 200, gives it a more deluxe, object-forward character than many of Fairey's standard signed prints. The multi-signature element, signed, numbered and stamped by Fairey plus Kai & Sunny, and the included authentication certificate make it especially appealing to collectors who prize provenance and collaborative pedigree. Released through Subliminal Projects, Fairey's own Los Angeles gallery, the work also reflects his role as a platform-builder who pairs his name and audience with allied artists. The large square format and layered color make it a visually immersive piece that reads as a designed pattern as much as a poster. For collectors, the combination of cross-artist collaboration, high print complexity, certificate-backed authentication, and a tight edition makes this a more specialized and considered acquisition than a typical single-artist release.
Collector Perspective
This appeals to collectors who value artist collaborations, design-driven abstraction, and high print craft over overt political messaging. Fans of Kai & Sunny as well as Fairey completists are the natural audience, alongside buyers who appreciate the deluxe specifications: seven hand-pulled colors, heavy 310gsm cotton stock, and artist hand-deckling. The 57 x 57 cm square format makes a strong centerpiece and frames as a bold, pattern-rich statement piece. With an edition of just 200, dual artist signatures and stamps, and an included authentication certificate, it carries strong provenance that reassures provenance-minded collectors. Its $250 original price reflected its collaborative, multi-color complexity rather than a basic open release.
Historical Context
Issued through Subliminal Projects in August 2017, this print exemplifies Fairey's ongoing collaborative practice during a busy late-2010s period of frequent releases. Subliminal Projects, his Los Angeles gallery, served as a hub for joint projects with artists in his orbit, and the Kai & Sunny partnership extends that pattern of cross-pollination with the design world. The emphasis on a technically demanding seven-color hand-pulled process and premium cotton paper reflects the higher production values Fairey reserved for collaborative and limited works. The dual signing and stamping, plus an authentication certificate, situate it within his more provenance-conscious editions of the era, distinct from his rapid-fire screen-print drops tied to political or music subjects.
FAQ
How many colors are in this print?
It is a hand-pulled seven-color screen print, using black, blue, dark blue, aqua, coral, red and pink. The layered palette gives the Red colorway its rich, immersive density, and the hand-pulled process underscores the print's high level of craft.
Who collaborated on this print?
The print is a collaboration between Shepard Fairey and the design duo Kai & Sunny, published through Subliminal Projects. It is signed, numbered and stamped by Shepard Fairey together with Kai & Sunny, marking it as a genuine multi-artist joint work.
Does the print come with authentication?
Yes. According to the source, the print comes with an authentication certificate. Combined with the signatures and stamps of both Fairey and Kai & Sunny, this gives the edition strong provenance for collectors who prioritize verified authenticity.
What are the dimensions and edition size?
The print measures 57 x 57 cm (22.5 x 22.5 inches) on 100% cotton Somerset Satin 310gsm paper, hand-deckled by the artist. It was released in an edition of 200 at $250, with a companion Yellow colorway also produced.
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.