Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Ideal Power Vienna (First Edition)”?
Artist Statement
Earlier this year I had the opportunity to paint this mural entitled "Ideal Power Doves Vienna" thanks to Ernst Hilger at the Vienna International Airport, terminal 1. It's incredible to be offered a wall in a location connecting so many global travelers. – Shepard Photo: Jon Furlong Ideal Power Vienna Heliogravure on Aluminum and Six-color Serigraphy. 17 x 21.5 inches. #Heliogravure on Zerkall Paper. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Numbered edition of 550. $250.
Summary
Ideal Power Vienna is a 2018 first-edition print by Shepard Fairey, published by Obey Giant in a signed, numbered edition of 550. Measuring 17 x 21.5 inches, it combines heliogravure on aluminum with six-color serigraphy on Zerkall paper. The image derives from Fairey's "Ideal Power Doves Vienna" mural painted at Vienna International Airport, terminal 1, realized with Ernst Hilger. The dove motif and layered technique translate a large public mural into a collectible print, carrying Fairey's recurring symbols of peace and power into an editioned format tied to a specific international wall.
Why It Matters
Ideal Power Vienna is notable as a print directly tied to a public mural Fairey painted at Vienna International Airport, a site he describes as connecting global travelers. That mural-to-print lineage is central to his practice: many of his most resonant editions document large-scale public works, and this one carries the provenance of an airport wall realized with gallerist Ernst Hilger. The piece is also technically distinctive, pairing heliogravure on aluminum with six-color serigraphy on Zerkall paper, a more elaborate process than a standard screen print. Thematically it advances Fairey's dove imagery, a recurring symbol he uses to weigh ideals of peace against structures of power, reflected in the record's primary and secondary themes. For collectors, the combination of a documented public mural source, a mixed heliogravure-serigraph technique, and a signed, numbered edition of 550 makes it a substantive entry in his "Ideal Power" body of work. It connects to a cluster of related power-themed releases and shows how Fairey repeatedly returns to the same motifs across murals, posters, and prints to build a coherent visual argument.
Collector Perspective
This print suits collectors drawn to Fairey's dove and "power" imagery and to works with a public-mural backstory. The Vienna International Airport origin gives it appeal for those who collect prints tied to specific international wall projects. The mixed heliogravure-on-aluminum and six-color serigraphy technique on Zerkall paper offers more material interest than a single-medium print, rewarding collectors who value process. At 17 x 21.5 inches it is an accessible, frameable size that fits well in a themed grouping with other "Ideal Power" and power-related editions. The edition of 550 is mid-sized, signed and numbered, making it attainable while still part of a defined first-edition release.
Historical Context
Ideal Power Vienna fits within Fairey's ongoing "Ideal Power" series and his prolific mural activity in the latter 2010s. The source ties it to a mural he painted earlier in 2018 at Vienna International Airport with Ernst Hilger, placing the print among the editions Fairey routinely issues to extend his public works to collectors. The dove motif and power framing connect it to a broader run of related releases, from the 2017 "Ideal Power" to the 2018 large-format version, showing how he iterates a single concept across formats and years. The heliogravure-and-serigraphy combination reflects his interest during this period in expanding beyond standard screen printing into mixed and metallic substrates, and the international mural source underscores his continued global exhibition and public-art footprint.
FAQ
What is Ideal Power Vienna based on?
It derives from Fairey's mural "Ideal Power Doves Vienna," which he painted at Vienna International Airport, terminal 1, with support from Ernst Hilger. The print translates that public wall work into an editioned format.
What technique was used?
The source describes heliogravure on aluminum combined with six-color serigraphy, printed on Zerkall paper. This mixed process is more elaborate than a standard single-color screen print.
What is the edition size and price?
It was released as a signed, numbered first edition of 550 at $250 according to the source. The print measures 17 x 21.5 inches.
What does the imagery represent?
The work uses Fairey's dove motif within a power-themed framing, with the record citing both collaborations/pop-culture and consumerism/power themes. It reflects his recurring use of doves to weigh peace against structures of power.
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.