Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Cut It Up - Do It Yourself (Blue)”?
Artist Statement
Cut It Up – Do It Yourself (Blue). 18 x 24 inches. Silkscreen on true white Speckle Tone paper. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Numbered edition of 500. $70. Available exclusively at Beyond The Streets New York, in-Store only.
Summary
Cut It Up - Do It Yourself (Blue) is a 2019 silkscreen print published in connection with Beyond The Streets, printed on true white Speckletone paper at 18 x 24 inches, issued as a numbered edition of 500, signed by Shepard Fairey, and offered at $70. The source notes it was available exclusively at Beyond The Streets New York, in-store only. The record provides limited descriptive detail beyond the production facts, identifying its theme as collaborations and pop culture. As a signed, accessibly priced edition tied to a major street-art exhibition, it sits within Fairey's collaborative output.
Why It Matters
Cut It Up - Do It Yourself (Blue) connects Fairey to Beyond The Streets, one of the most prominent contemporary exhibitions dedicated to graffiti and street art, marking the print as part of his collaborative, scene-affiliated output rather than a standalone studio edition. Its exclusive, in-store-only availability at Beyond The Streets New York gave it a built-in connection to that exhibition moment, which can matter to collectors who track works tied to specific shows and venues. The title's do-it-yourself framing aligns with the punk and street-art ethos that runs through Fairey's career, though the record offers limited descriptive detail about the imagery itself. As a signed, numbered edition of 500 at an accessible $70 price point, it functions as an entry-level collectible within his catalog and as a memento of the Beyond The Streets event. Its significance rests more on the exhibition tie-in and the artist's signature than on scarcity or a documented political message. For collectors building a Fairey collection around his collaborations and exhibition-linked works, it offers an affordable, authenticated piece with a clear provenance story, while the sparse source material means its deeper meaning is best treated cautiously.
Collector Perspective
This print suits collectors who follow Fairey's collaborations and works tied to major street-art exhibitions, particularly Beyond The Streets. The exclusive in-store-only release at Beyond The Streets New York gives it a specific provenance hook for collectors who value exhibition-linked pieces. At 18 x 24 inches and $70 in a signed, numbered edition of 500, it is an accessible, frame-ready entry point for newer collectors or for those rounding out a Fairey grouping with affordable collaborative works. It pairs naturally with his other Beyond The Streets and collaboration prints. Because the source description is limited, buyers should treat its appeal as resting primarily on the exhibition tie-in, the signature, and the price rather than a documented deeper concept.
Historical Context
Cut It Up - Do It Yourself (Blue) belongs to Fairey's collaborative, exhibition-linked output, here connected to Beyond The Streets, a major touring exhibition of graffiti and street art. Released in 2019 and available exclusively in-store at Beyond The Streets New York, it reflects his ongoing presence within institutional and event-based showcases of the street-art movement he helped popularize. The do-it-yourself title gestures toward the punk and DIY roots of that culture. The record provides limited contextual detail, so its precise place in his arc is best framed by its exhibition affiliation and accessible edition format rather than a specific thematic statement.
FAQ
Where was this print available?
According to the source, Cut It Up - Do It Yourself (Blue) was available exclusively at Beyond The Streets New York, in-store only. This exclusive release ties the print directly to that major street-art exhibition and gives it a specific provenance for collectors.
What is the edition size and price?
It is a numbered edition of 500, signed by Shepard Fairey, and was offered at $70. The work is a silkscreen on true white Speckletone paper measuring 18 x 24 inches, making it an accessible signed Fairey edition tied to the Beyond The Streets exhibition.
What size is the print?
The print measures 18 x 24 inches and is a silkscreen on true white Speckletone paper. It is signed and numbered, with the Blue edition being one of the colorway variants noted in the record alongside a First Edition.
Is there detailed information about the imagery?
The source provides limited descriptive detail beyond the production facts and its connection to Beyond The Streets. The available information focuses on the edition, size, paper, price, and exclusive in-store availability rather than a documented account of the image's deeper meaning.
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.