Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Catch A Fire (Gold)”?
Artist Statement
CATCH A FIRE (Gold). 18 x 24 inches. Screen print on thick cream Speckletone paper. Original photo by Dennis Morris. Signed by Shepard Fairey and Dennis Morris. Numbered edition of 200. $75.
Summary
Catch A Fire (Gold) is a 2020 screen print by Shepard Fairey, published by Obey Giant in a numbered edition of 200 at 18 x 24 inches on thick cream Speckletone paper. This Gold colorway is one of three variants, with Green and Red also issued. The Bob Marley portrait is based on an original photograph by Dennis Morris and is signed by both Shepard Fairey and Dennis Morris, priced at $75. Rendered in Fairey's graphic style, the print honors Marley as a music and cultural figure and serves as a companion to Sun Is Shining, which is built on the same Morris photograph.
Why It Matters
Catch A Fire (Gold) pairs a legendary musical subject, Bob Marley, with a documented collaboration between Shepard Fairey and photographer Dennis Morris, who photographed Marley directly. As the Gold edition within a three-color release that also includes Green and Red, it appeals to collectors who pursue complete colorway sets, a recurring dynamic in Fairey's screen-print practice. Its smaller numbered edition of 200, relative to its companion print, gives this variant tighter scarcity within the Marley grouping. The dual signatures of Fairey and Morris add provenance and tie the work to firsthand documentation of Marley. Sitting squarely in two of Fairey's most collected categories, music and collaboration, the print celebrates one of the most globally influential artists in music history while showcasing Fairey's portrait language. Released as a companion to Sun Is Shining and built on the same Morris photograph, it forms part of a coherent Marley set. Its significance lies in combining an iconic subject, an authentic photographic source, signed collaboration, and a collectible multi-color structure, making it both a tribute and a desirable variant within a well-defined series.
Collector Perspective
Catch A Fire (Gold) appeals to Bob Marley fans, music-portrait collectors, and those who enjoy chasing complete colorway sets, since it is one of three variants alongside Green and Red. The dual signatures of Fairey and Dennis Morris add provenance, and the edition of 200 gives this variant defined scarcity. At 18 x 24 inches it frames easily and complements its companion print Sun Is Shining. It fits a music-themed or collaboration-focused collection well, and the warm Gold colorway offers display flexibility for collectors who want a specific palette in a Marley grouping.
Historical Context
Catch A Fire (Gold) is part of Fairey's 2020 Bob Marley tribute made with photographer Dennis Morris, who knew Marley firsthand. Released alongside the companion print Sun Is Shining and based on the same Morris photograph, it reflects Fairey's practice of building portrait editions on documentary photography, crediting collaborators with shared signatures, and issuing works in multiple colorways. Published by Obey Giant in 2020 in a numbered edition of 200, with Green and Red variants also produced, it belongs to the Music phase of his career devoted to musicians and counterculture figures. The release continues Fairey's long engagement with artists whose work blended popular appeal with social and political resonance.
FAQ
What colorways does Catch A Fire come in?
According to the source, Catch A Fire was issued in three colorways: Gold, Green, and Red. This entry is the Gold edition, a numbered screen print of 200 signed by both Shepard Fairey and Dennis Morris.
What are the size and edition of the Gold version?
Catch A Fire (Gold) measures 18 x 24 inches and is a screen print on thick cream Speckletone paper. It was released in a numbered edition of 200 at an original price of $75.
Who is the subject and photographer?
The print is a portrait of Bob Marley based on an original photograph by Dennis Morris. It is signed by both Shepard Fairey and Dennis Morris and was published by Obey Giant in 2020.
Is it related to another print?
Yes. Catch A Fire is a companion to Sun Is Shining, with both prints based on the same Dennis Morris photograph of Bob Marley and released as part of Fairey's 2020 Marley tribute.
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.