Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “End Corruption (Large Format)”?
Artist Statement
End corruption, get money out of politics, restore democracy – these are calls to action that I will continue to push and champion to diminish the corrupting force of corporate and special interests funds and lobbying in our political system. Our system allows powerful corporations and special interests to use their money and influence to put profits ahead of the general well being of the populace. Almost every instance of policies that put corporate profits before the needs and health of people and the environment can be tracked to corporate influence on policy. RepresentUs is fighting for campaign finance reform and proceeds from this print will go to help end the legal bribery of politicians. For further reading check out Lawrence Lessig's book, "America, Compromised," which thoroughly articulates the systemic problems and is a fast read! – Shepard End Corruption. Serigraph on 100% Cotton Custom Archival Paper with hand-deckled edges. 30 x 41 inches. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Numbered edition of 89. $900. Comes with certificate of authenticity.
Summary
End Corruption is a 2019 large-format Shepard Fairey serigraph published by Obey Giant, printed on 100% cotton custom archival paper with hand-deckled edges, measuring 30 x 41 inches in a signed, numbered edition of 89 and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. The print calls to get money out of politics and restore democracy, targeting the corrupting force of corporate and special-interest funds and lobbying. Fairey argues that policies favoring corporate profits over public well-being trace to corporate influence on policy, and ties the work to campaign finance reform. The source notes proceeds support RepresentUs's reform efforts.
Why It Matters
End Corruption distills Fairey's anti-corruption advocacy into a single large-format statement, framing campaign finance reform as the lever for restoring democracy. The source has him arguing that nearly every policy putting corporate profits ahead of public health and the environment can be traced to corporate influence, and directing proceeds to RepresentUs while recommending Lawrence Lessig's America, Compromised. That specificity ties the image to a concrete reform agenda rather than vague protest. Issued as a 30 x 41-inch serigraph on cotton archival paper in an edition of only 89, with a certificate of authenticity noted in the source, it sits in the premium fine-art tier of Fairey's output, signaling the importance he placed on the theme. For collectors, the small edition, archival materials, and documented COA elevate both scarcity and confidence in provenance. It anchors a political or anti-corruption grouping and pairs naturally with Fairey's other power-and-democracy works, extending a critique of money in politics that recurs across his late-2010s catalog.
Collector Perspective
End Corruption appeals to collectors focused on political reform, anti-corruption messaging, and Fairey's power-and-democracy themes. With an edition of just 89 on cotton archival paper with hand-deckled edges and a noted certificate of authenticity, it is a premium, provenance-backed acquisition rather than an entry poster, and its 30 x 41 scale makes a bold focal point. The clear reform message and tie to RepresentUs give it narrative appeal for civically engaged buyers. It fits a political collection and groups well with Fairey's other large-format works critiquing corporate power and money in politics.
Historical Context
End Corruption belongs to the cluster of late-2010s Fairey works targeting money in politics and corporate influence, themes he says he will continue to push. The source ties the print to campaign finance reform and to RepresentUs, the advocacy group fighting what Fairey calls the legal bribery of politicians, and recommends Lawrence Lessig's America, Compromised for context. Produced as a 30 x 41-inch fine-art serigraph in an edition of 89, it reflects Fairey's strategy of pairing accessible street messaging with an elevated archival format for collectors. Within his arc, it reinforces the through-line connecting environmental harm, corporate power, and democratic reform that defined much of his work in this period.
FAQ
What is the message of End Corruption?
Per the source, the print calls to end corruption, get money out of politics, and restore democracy. Fairey targets the corrupting force of corporate and special-interest funds and lobbying, arguing that policies favoring corporate profits over public well-being trace to corporate influence on policy.
What is the edition size and does it include a COA?
According to the source, it is a signed, numbered edition of 89 and comes with a certificate of authenticity. It is a large-format serigraph on 100% cotton custom archival paper with hand-deckled edges, published by Obey Giant in 2019.
What are the dimensions and materials?
The source states it measures 30 x 41 inches, printed as a serigraph on 100% cotton custom archival paper with hand-deckled edges, signed by Shepard Fairey. Its original price was $900.
Does this print support a cause?
Per the source, proceeds go to help RepresentUs end what Fairey calls the legal bribery of politicians, supporting campaign finance reform. He also recommends Lawrence Lessig's book America, Compromised for further reading on the systemic problems.
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.