Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Target Exceptions (Signed Offset)”?
Artist Statement
'Target Exceptions' addresses the challenges of both visiting and becoming a resident of the United States for many people. Most of those who might long to fulfill the "American Dream" are exceptions to the target qualifications, especially considering the attitudes and attempted policies of the current administration -Shepard Target Exceptions. 24 x 36 inches. Offset Lithograph on thick cream Speckle Tone paper. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Open Edition. $35.
Summary
Target Exceptions (Signed Offset) is a 2020 offset lithograph measuring 24 x 36 inches on thick cream Speckle Tone paper, signed by Shepard Fairey, issued as an open edition at $35. The work addresses the challenges of both visiting and becoming a resident of the United States, noting that most who long to fulfill the "American Dream" are exceptions to the target qualifications, especially given the attitudes and attempted policies of the administration at the time. It is a large-format, accessibly priced signed offset print tackling immigration and access to the American Dream through Fairey's graphic style.
Why It Matters
Target Exceptions is one of Fairey's pointed commentaries on American immigration and the limits of the American Dream, and the source gives a clear statement of intent. Fairey explains the print addresses the difficulty many people face in both visiting and becoming a resident of the United States, observing that most who long to fulfill the American Dream are exceptions to the target qualifications, a critique sharpened by the policies and attitudes of the administration at the time. That documented political framing makes the print a record of Fairey's response to the immigration debates of the late 2010s and 2020. As a 24 x 36 inch signed offset lithograph released as an open edition at just $35, it reflects his recurring strategy of using affordable, larger-format offset prints to put politically charged imagery into wide circulation rather than restricting it to scarce screen-print editions. That accessibility is part of the message: democratizing the work mirrors its plea for broader inclusion. For collectors, it offers a large, signed, low-cost political statement that documents a specific policy moment, and its open-edition nature makes it an entry point into Fairey's democracy-and-justice catalog while still carrying his signature.
Collector Perspective
This suits collectors of Fairey's political and immigration-themed work and buyers seeking an affordable, large-format signed piece. As a 24 x 36 inch open-edition offset at $35, it offers strong wall presence for a low entry cost, ideal for newer collectors or for making a bold statement in a prominent space. The Fairey signature adds collectible value despite the open edition. Its documented immigration message gives it a clear narrative for socially engaged buyers, and it groups well with his other democracy, rage, and policy-critique prints. Because it is an open edition, it carries less scarcity than his numbered screen prints, which buyers should weigh, but its scale, signature, and timely subject make it a meaningful and approachable acquisition.
Historical Context
Target Exceptions belongs to Fairey's body of immigration and American-identity work, which intensified during the political climate of the late 2010s. Released in 2020 as a large signed offset open edition, it exemplifies his practice of using affordable offset lithographs to widely distribute politically charged imagery. Its explicit critique of the era's immigration attitudes and attempted policies aligns it with his broader politics-and-democracy output, including prints addressing the American Dream and the rights of would-be residents. The open-edition format situates it among his accessible political releases rather than his scarce collector editions, reinforcing his aim of putting the message into as many hands as possible.
FAQ
What does Target Exceptions address?
Fairey states it addresses the challenges of both visiting and becoming a resident of the United States. He notes that most who long to fulfill the "American Dream" are exceptions to the target qualifications, especially given the attitudes and attempted policies of the administration at the time.
Is this a limited or open edition?
It is an open edition. According to the source, the print is signed by Shepard Fairey but not issued in a fixed numbered run, which is why it was offered at the accessible price of $35.
What are the dimensions and medium?
Target Exceptions (Signed Offset) is an offset lithograph measuring 24 x 36 inches on thick cream Speckle Tone paper. It is signed by Shepard Fairey and was released in 2020 as an open edition priced at $35.
Why is this print so affordable?
As a signed offset lithograph open edition, it was priced at $35 to make the politically charged immigration imagery widely accessible, consistent with Fairey's practice of using affordable offset prints to put his messages into broad circulation rather than limiting them to scarce editions.
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.