Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Downward Trajectory”?
Artist Statement
Downward Trajectory. Screenprint on cream Speckle Tone Paper. 24 x 24 inches. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Numbered edition of 500. $80.
Summary
Downward Trajectory is a 2019 Shepard Fairey screen print on cream Speckle Tone paper, 24 x 24 inches, in a signed, numbered first edition of 500, published by Garey The Third at an $80 release price. The source provides specifications but no detailed visual description. The record assigns a primary theme of collaborations and pop culture and a secondary peace-and-anti-war signal, suggesting socio-political subject matter consistent with Fairey's broader output, though the specific imagery is not detailed in the source.
Why It Matters
Downward Trajectory is a square-format 2019 screen print whose significance rests on its place within Fairey's prolific run of mid-priced editions rather than a documented image, since the source supplies only specifications. The 24 x 24 inch square format is a recurring Fairey composition that suits centered, emblematic designs, and the peace-and-anti-war secondary signal aligns with the artist's long-running engagement with conflict, justice, and social commentary. Published in a first edition of 500 and signed and numbered, it offered collectors an accessible entry into his 2019 catalog at an $80 release price. Without a described composition, its importance is best framed cautiously around format, edition, and thematic positioning. For collectors it functions as a representative example of Fairey's steady output of message-oriented screenprints, valued for completeness within a year set or thematic grouping rather than as a documented standout, and should be assessed against the actual artwork.
Collector Perspective
This suits collectors assembling a broad Fairey screenprint collection or a 2019 year set, and those who favor his accessible mid-range editions. The 24 x 24 inch square format frames cleanly and works well in grid arrangements with other same-size prints, while the cream Speckle Tone paper gives it a consistent gallery feel shared across his Obey screenprints. The edition of 500 and original $80 price make it an approachable acquisition for newer collectors. Its peace-and-anti-war thematic signal lets it sit within socially themed groupings. Because the source omits visual detail, collectors should confirm the imagery and display fit against the actual print before purchase.
Historical Context
Downward Trajectory fits within Fairey's dense 2019 release schedule of signed, numbered screenprints addressing social and political themes. Published by Garey The Third rather than Obey Giant, it represents one of the outside-publisher editions that periodically appear in his catalog. The peace-and-anti-war secondary signal connects it to Fairey's persistent engagement with conflict and justice, a thread running through his mature activism-era work. With only specifications available, its historical placement is best understood as a representative mid-period screen print within his ongoing message-driven practice rather than a documented turning point, and its specific subject would need confirmation from the artwork itself.
FAQ
What is Downward Trajectory?
It is a 2019 Shepard Fairey screen print on cream Speckle Tone paper, measuring 24 x 24 inches. Published by Garey The Third, it is signed and numbered in a first edition of 500 and was released at $80.
Is the print signed and numbered?
Yes. According to the source, Downward Trajectory is signed by Shepard Fairey and numbered as part of an edition of 500.
What are the dimensions and medium?
It is a screen print on cream Speckle Tone paper measuring 24 x 24 inches, a square format.
What themes does it engage?
The record assigns a primary collaborations and pop-culture theme with a secondary peace-and-anti-war signal. The source does not include a detailed description of the imagery, so the specific subject is best confirmed against the actual print.
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.