Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Obey Star (Large Format)”?
Artist Statement
OBEY Star. Serigraph on Coventry Rag, 100% Cotton Custom Archival Paper with hand-deckled edges. 30 x 41 inches. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Numbered edition of 89. Comes with a certificate of authenticity. $900.
Summary
Obey Star (Large Format) is a 2019 Shepard Fairey screen print, a serigraph on 100% cotton Coventry Rag archival paper with hand-deckled edges, measuring 30 x 41 inches. The work presents the OBEY star, one of the core graphic emblems in Fairey's visual repertoire, at large scale. Published by Obey Giant, it was issued as a signed, numbered edition of 89 and comes with a certificate of authenticity. The source description is limited to production and edition details, so the focus is on the print's medium, format, and place within the OBEY iconography rather than an extended thematic statement.
Why It Matters
The OBEY star is one of the foundational symbols in Shepard Fairey's visual language, alongside the Andre-derived Icon Face and the red box logo, and this 2019 large-format edition renders that emblem as a standalone graphic statement. While the supplied description is brief, focusing on materials and edition, the work's significance lies in its presentation of a pure OBEY mark at a premium 30 x 41-inch scale on hand-deckled archival cotton paper. For collectors of OBEY iconography, the star functions as a concentrated piece of the brand's identity, the kind of clean, emblematic image that anchors a collection focused on Fairey's graphic system rather than his portrait or political subjects. The tight edition of 89 and certificate of authenticity mark it as a serious release. Because the source provides limited narrative, claims here remain cautious: the value proposition is the iconic simplicity of the star and the quality of the large-format production, both of which appeal to buyers who want a definitive OBEY emblem in archival print form rather than a work carrying an explicit message.
Collector Perspective
Obey Star (Large Format) suits collectors who center their interest on OBEY iconography and want a clean, emblematic image rather than a narrative or portrait piece. The large 30 x 41-inch scale and hand-deckled archival cotton paper give it strong graphic presence and make it a confident anchor or accent within an OBEY-focused set. It pairs especially well with Icon Face and collage-icon works that share the same visual system. The signed, numbered edition of 89 with certificate of authenticity supports its standing as a premium acquisition. Buyers drawn to minimal, instantly recognizable branding imagery will find its appeal direct and durable.
Historical Context
Obey Star (Large Format) was released in 2019, part of the period surrounding Fairey's three-decades retrospective activity. The OBEY star emerged as one of the simplified emblems that grew out of the original Andre the Giant sticker campaign, becoming a recurring building block in Fairey's visual repertoire. As a large-format, archival edition of a single core mark, this print reflects Fairey's continued practice of isolating and re-presenting his foundational icons at premium scale. The available source material is limited to production specifics, so its historical placement is best understood through the broader OBEY iconography lineage rather than a documented thematic statement specific to this release.
FAQ
What is Obey Star (Large Format)?
It is a 2019 Shepard Fairey screen print, a serigraph on 100% cotton Coventry Rag archival paper with hand-deckled edges, measuring 30 x 41 inches. It presents the OBEY star emblem at large scale, signed by Fairey in a numbered edition of 89 with a certificate of authenticity.
How large is the edition?
Obey Star (Large Format) was published by Obey Giant in 2019 as a signed, numbered edition of 89. Each print is signed by Shepard Fairey and comes with a certificate of authenticity, according to the release information.
What are its dimensions and medium?
It is a serigraph (screen print) on Coventry Rag 100% cotton custom archival paper with hand-deckled edges, measuring 30 x 41 inches, published by Obey Giant.
What does the OBEY star represent?
The OBEY star is one of the core emblems in Fairey's visual repertoire that grew out of his original Andre sticker work. The supplied source describes this release mainly through its production and edition details rather than an extended thematic statement.
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.