Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Big Brother Profile”?
Artist Statement
Big Brother Profile Screen Print 18 x 24 inches Edition of 140
Summary
Big Brother Profile is a 2000 Shepard Fairey screen print, published by Obey Giant in a first edition of 140, measuring 18 x 24 inches. The work invokes the "Big Brother" surveillance motif, a recurring theme in Fairey's output that draws on Orwellian imagery of watching and control. Executed in his bold, high-contrast graphic style, it belongs to his early Obey Giant studio period. As a run of 140 impressions, it is among the smaller editions of the year, and it sits within a sustained series of Big Brother works Fairey produced across multiple years.
Why It Matters
Big Brother Profile belongs to one of Shepard Fairey's most enduring thematic threads: the "Big Brother" surveillance motif, drawn from Orwellian imagery of observation, authority, and control. Dated 2000 and published in a first edition of 140, this print is an early entry in a series Fairey revisited repeatedly—from a 1999 collage through later 2006 and 2007 variants—making it a documentary anchor for that lineage in a knowledge graph. The surveillance theme aligns naturally with the watchful eye of his core Obey iconography, reinforcing the message of questioning power and conformity that underpins his project. For collectors, this thematic continuity is a strong differentiator: Big Brother Profile is not a one-off image but part of a recognizable, evolving body of work, which adds depth and context to its place in the catalog. Its edition of 140 is comparatively small, lending scarcity to an early example of the motif. As a node in the database, it connects turn-of-the-millennium studio output to Fairey's ongoing critique of surveillance and authoritarian control, a theme that has only grown more resonant. The print rewards collectors who value thematic narrative and an artist's sustained engagement with a single powerful idea.
Collector Perspective
Big Brother Profile appeals to collectors drawn to the surveillance and authority themes central to Fairey's project, as well as early Obey Giant completists. As an early entry in a multi-year Big Brother series, it anchors a thematic set that traces the motif across several years and variants. The edition of 140 is small and the 18 x 24-inch format frames easily, grouping well with companion Big Brother prints. Its bold, high-contrast graphic reads strongly on a wall and carries clear conceptual weight. This print suits a buyer who values thematic narrative and wants an early example of one of Fairey's most recognizable and recurring ideas.
Historical Context
Big Brother Profile sits within Shepard Fairey's early Obey Giant studio period around 2000 and forms part of his recurring Big Brother series, which spans a 1999 collage through later 2006 and 2007 works. The surveillance motif extends the watchful-eye logic of his Andre the Giant / Obey iconography into explicitly Orwellian territory, questioning power, conformity, and control. This was years before his 2008 Obama breakthrough, during a phase when Fairey was both refining his graphic style and deepening the conceptual content of his imagery. The print documents an early stage of a theme that became one of the most durable and resonant threads across his entire catalog.
FAQ
What is the theme of Big Brother Profile?
The print invokes the "Big Brother" surveillance motif, drawing on Orwellian imagery of watching and control. It is an early entry in a recurring Big Brother series Fairey produced across multiple years, aligning with the watchful-eye logic of his Obey iconography.
When was it made and how large is the edition?
Big Brother Profile is dated 2000, published by Obey Giant, in a first edition of 140 impressions according to the source. That is a comparatively small run, lending scarcity to an early example of the motif.
What are the dimensions and medium?
It is a screen print measuring 18 x 24 inches, per the source description, a frame-friendly format common across Fairey's editioned prints of the era.
Is it part of a series?
Yes. It belongs to Fairey's Big Brother series, with related works including a 1999 collage, a 2001 sequel, and later 2006 and 2007 variants, making it part of a sustained thematic body of work.
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.