Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Mailman (First Edition)”?
Artist Statement
MAILMAN Screen Print 18 x 24 inches Edition of 140
Summary
Mailman is a 2000 Shepard Fairey screen print measuring 18 x 24 inches, published by Obey Giant in a first edition of 140. Rendered in the artist's high-contrast, propaganda-influenced poster style, the work belongs to his early Obey Giant period of small-run editioned prints. The source description provides limited interpretive detail beyond the title, medium, dimensions, and edition, so the imagery's specifics are not elaborated here. As an early, modestly sized screen print, it reflects Fairey's foundational graphic vocabulary at the turn of the millennium.
Why It Matters
Mailman belongs to the formative 2000 chapter of Shepard Fairey's Obey Giant practice, when he was producing tightly editioned screen prints that built out his catalog and visual identity. Works from this period matter to collectors because they document the artist's early methods and the breadth of his subject matter before his later mainstream prominence. With an edition of just 140, Mailman is among the smaller runs from this era, giving it historical interest within a chronological collection. While the source material is sparse on the print's specific imagery and message, its date, small edition, and Obey Giant provenance place it firmly within the body of early work that collectors track to understand how Fairey assembled his graphic language. Its value lies in completeness for those assembling the early Obey Giant period rather than in a single headline theme. As one of many turn-of-the-millennium screen prints, it contributes to the record of an artist methodically expanding his output during a defining stretch of his career.
Collector Perspective
Mailman suits collectors building a comprehensive early Obey Giant period set, where edition number and date matter more than a marquee subject. The small run of 140 and 2000 release appeal to those prioritizing chronological completeness in a Shepard Fairey collection. At 18 x 24 inches it fits naturally in a grid of similarly sized early screen prints rather than as a feature piece. Because the source offers limited description of the imagery, buyers should view it in person or via images before committing. It is a focused fit for completist collectors of Fairey's foundational period.
Historical Context
Mailman dates to 2000, part of the early Obey Giant period when Shepard Fairey was producing a steady stream of small-edition screen prints. This stretch followed his late-1980s Andre the Giant sticker campaign and saw him formalizing the OBEY Giant project into editioned fine-art output. The edition of 140 is characteristic of these early, hand-pulled runs before his audience and edition sizes grew later in the decade. The work belongs to the foundational catalog that collectors examine to trace Fairey's development. Because the source description is brief, the print is best understood as part of this broader early body rather than through a documented individual narrative.
FAQ
What is Mailman by Shepard Fairey?
Mailman is a 2000 screen print by Shepard Fairey, published by Obey Giant. It measures 18 x 24 inches and was released as a first edition of 140, placing it within his early Obey Giant period of editioned prints.
How large is the edition?
Mailman was published in a first edition of 140 by Obey Giant. This is a relatively small run, typical of Fairey's early screen prints before his edition sizes expanded later in the decade.
What are the dimensions and medium?
The work is a screen print measuring 18 x 24 inches, published by Obey Giant in 2000 as part of Shepard Fairey's early editioned output.
How does it fit Fairey's catalog?
Mailman belongs to the early Obey Giant period when Fairey produced many small-edition screen prints. Collectors value such works for chronological completeness and as documentation of the artist's foundational output.
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.