Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Metropolis”?
Artist Statement
Metropolis Screen Print 18 x 24 inches
Summary
Metropolis is a 2001 Shepard Fairey screen print measuring 18 x 24 inches, published by Obey Giant as a first edition. The source lists an edition figure of 100, placing it among the smaller early runs. Rendered in Fairey's high-contrast, propaganda-influenced poster style, the title evokes urban and industrial imagery consistent with his early-period engagement with the modern cityscape. The description is brief, providing medium, dimensions, and edition but limited interpretive detail about the specific imagery.
Why It Matters
Metropolis belongs to Shepard Fairey's 2001 output, an early stretch of the Obey Giant project when he was producing tightly editioned screen prints and refining his graphic language. The title points toward the urban and industrial imagery that recurs throughout his work, where the modern city becomes a stage for examining power, control, and mass society. With a small edition of 100, the print sits among the more limited early runs, giving it added interest for collectors assembling this period chronologically. Works from 2001 document Fairey consolidating his visual identity before his later mainstream breakthrough, and the city-themed strand connects to his broader fascination with the architecture of modern life and authority. While the source offers limited description of the precise imagery, the title, date, and small edition together make it a meaningful component of the early catalog. For collectors, its value lies in the combination of an evocative urban subject and a notably small production run within a defining early period of the artist's career.
Collector Perspective
Metropolis appeals to collectors of Shepard Fairey's early Obey Giant period, particularly those drawn to his urban and industrial imagery. The small edition of 100 makes it attractive to buyers who prioritize scarcity within a chronological collection. At 18 x 24 inches it displays well alongside other early-2000s screen prints in a grouped arrangement. Collectors focused on the cityscape and propaganda strands of Fairey's catalog, rather than his music or floral output, will find it a coherent fit. Given the brief source description, viewing the image directly is advisable before purchase. It is a solid choice for completists of the early period.
Historical Context
Metropolis dates to 2001, within the early Obey Giant period when Shepard Fairey was producing small-edition screen prints and building his catalog. This followed his late-1980s Andre the Giant sticker campaign and the formalization of the OBEY Giant project into editioned work. The edition of 100 is among the smaller runs of the era, characteristic of hand-pulled early production before his editions grew larger. The urban title aligns with a recurring thread in his practice that uses the modern cityscape to examine mass society and control. It belongs to the foundational early catalog that collectors study to trace the artist's development.
FAQ
What is Metropolis by Shepard Fairey?
Metropolis is a 2001 screen print by Shepard Fairey, published by Obey Giant as a first edition. It measures 18 x 24 inches and the source lists an edition figure of 100, placing it among the smaller early runs.
How large is the edition?
The source records an edition figure of 100 for Metropolis. This is a relatively small run for the period, typical of Fairey's early hand-pulled Obey Giant screen prints from the early 2000s.
What are the dimensions and medium?
Metropolis is a screen print measuring 18 x 24 inches, published by Obey Giant in 2001 as part of Shepard Fairey's early editioned output.
What does the title suggest?
The title Metropolis points toward urban and industrial imagery, a recurring strand in Fairey's work where the modern cityscape examines mass society and control. The source provides limited detail on the specific image beyond the title.
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.