Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Paint It Black (Large Letterpress)”?
Artist Statement
Here's a new Paint it Black piece that I'm releasing as a larger-sized letterpress print next Tuesday. I've made a few Paint it Black themed images, but unfortunately, the topic remains in need of urgent address and action! Paint it Black, in addition to referencing a great Rolling Stones song, is about oil dictating too much of our energy policy and our foreign policy. Imagine if all the money spent on wars and strategic interests in the Middle East had been spent on developing green energy alternatives? Instead, our government subsidizes the highly profitable oil and gas industries for $40 billion a year, because no politician wants a rise in the price of gas to be blamed on them. Newsflash: we are still paying more for gas whether it's at the pump or through our taxes. The need for gas will remain, but we need to invest in sustainable energy alternatives as we transition off of the finite supply of fossil fuels that are also terrible for CO2 emissions. Proceeds from this print will go to NRDC to support their efforts to shape responsible environmental policy. Thanks for caring. -Shepard Paint it Black Letterpress on cream cotton paper with hand-deckled edges. 14.5 x 19 inches. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Numbered edition of 450. $80.
Summary
Paint It Black (Large Letterpress) is a 2020 Shepard Fairey letterpress print on cream cotton paper with hand-deckled edges, 14.5 x 19 inches, in a signed, numbered first edition of 450, published by Obey Giant at an $80 release price. Released in a larger letterpress format, the piece addresses how oil dictates energy and foreign policy, contrasting military spending and fossil-fuel subsidies with investment in green energy alternatives. The source states proceeds went to the NRDC to support its environmental policy efforts. The title also references the Rolling Stones song.
Why It Matters
Paint It Black (Large Letterpress) is a clear example of Fairey fusing pop-culture reference with urgent environmental advocacy. The title nods to the Rolling Stones song while the content, per the source, indicts oil's grip on energy and foreign policy, questions the roughly $40 billion in annual subsidies to the oil and gas industries, and argues for investment in sustainable alternatives as society transitions off finite fossil fuels harmful to CO2 emissions. Crucially, the source states proceeds from the print went to the NRDC to support responsible environmental policy, tying the object directly to activism. Produced as a larger letterpress on cream cotton paper with hand-deckled edges, it offers a tactile, craft-forward format distinct from Fairey's screenprints. For collectors, the combination of a recognizable cultural hook, a documented charitable purpose, and Fairey's sustained environmental messaging makes it a meaningful entry in his climate-themed catalog, reflecting how he uses editions as both art objects and fundraising tools for causes he supports.
Collector Perspective
This suits collectors focused on Fairey's environmental and activist work, and those who appreciate letterpress as a tactile alternative to his screenprints. The 14.5 x 19 inch size frames neatly, and the cream cotton paper with hand-deckled edges gives it a handcrafted, gallery-grade feel. The documented NRDC charitable connection adds appeal for buyers who value art tied to causes, and the Rolling Stones reference broadens its resonance to music fans. As a signed, numbered first edition of 450 at an accessible original price, it is an approachable acquisition that fits an environmental or activism-themed grouping. It also pairs naturally with the earlier 2014 Paint It Black, making it attractive for collectors tracking how Fairey revisits a theme.
Historical Context
Paint It Black (Large Letterpress) extends a motif Fairey had used before, with the source noting he has made several Paint It Black themed images while stressing the topic remains in need of urgent action. Released in 2020, it sits within his environmental-era advocacy, addressing fossil-fuel dependence, subsidies, and the need for green energy investment. The decision to direct proceeds to the NRDC situates it within his pattern of pairing editions with environmental fundraising. Issued as a larger letterpress version on cream cotton paper, it shows Fairey expanding a recurring theme into a new format, reinforcing climate advocacy as a sustained thread through his mature work rather than a one-time subject.
FAQ
What is Paint It Black (Large Letterpress)?
It is a 2020 Shepard Fairey letterpress print on cream cotton paper with hand-deckled edges, measuring 14.5 x 19 inches. Published by Obey Giant, it is signed and numbered in a first edition of 450 and was released at $80.
What is the print about?
Per the source, it addresses how oil dictates too much of energy and foreign policy, questions large annual subsidies to oil and gas industries, and argues for investing in sustainable energy alternatives as society transitions off finite, CO2-emitting fossil fuels. The title also references the Rolling Stones song.
Did proceeds support a cause?
Yes. The source states that proceeds from this print went to the NRDC to support its efforts to shape responsible environmental policy.
What format and size is it?
It is a letterpress on cream cotton paper with hand-deckled edges, measuring 14.5 x 19 inches, signed by Shepard Fairey, released as a larger-sized letterpress version.
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.