Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Devo Vote!”?
Artist Statement
This "DEVO Vote!" print, based on a photo by Robert Matheu, is a call to action and a celebration of the brilliance of Devo's music, visuals, and ideas. I knew nothing about Devo when I first heard "Whip It" in 1980 on the radio, but I loved the quirky and catchy style of the song. I called the radio station obsessively requesting the song until they finally told me, "that song isn't in rotation anymore… stop bugging us!" Later I got into punk rock and Devo had a following with some people in that culture. I noticed that Devo was a lightning rod because they were one of the few punk/new wave bands that crossed over a little bit into the mainstream. When I started skateboarding, a parent who thought they were funny asked me, "you aren't gonna start wearing a flower pot on your head like Devo, are you?" As I listened to more Devo and paid closer attention to their lyrics, I realized how brilliant and subversive their examinations of devolution and mindless conformity were when packaged in catchy new wave songs. The Devo albums, "Are We Not Men?", "Freedom of Choice" and "New Traditionalists" are all amazing musically and lyrically. Devo also made really cool videos and graphic art. I now consider Devo to be one of the smartest and most fully realized art projects to infiltrate pop culture. The members of Devo also care about social and political engagement… you could say they are democracy DEVOtees, so proceeds from this print will benefit the Rise work to get out the student vote. The print is signed by Mark Mothersbaugh, Gerald Casale, Bob Mothersbaugh, and me. -Shepard DEVO Vote! 18 x 24 inches. Screen print on thick cream Speckletone paper. Based on photo by Robert Matheu. Signed by Shepard Fairey, Mark Mothersbaugh, Gerald Casale, and Bob Mothersbaugh. Numbered edition of 575. $85
Summary
Devo Vote! is a 2020 Shepard Fairey screen print celebrating the band Devo while urging civic participation. Based on a photo by Robert Matheu, it measures 18 x 24 inches on thick cream Speckletone paper and was issued in a numbered edition of 575. Notably, the print is signed by Fairey alongside all three pictured Devo members, Mark Mothersbaugh, Gerald Casale, and Bob Mothersbaugh. Fairey praises Devo's subversive examination of 'devolution' and mindless conformity wrapped in catchy new-wave songs. Proceeds benefited Rise's effort to get out the student vote.
Why It Matters
Devo Vote! is a standout in Fairey's catalog for its rare multi-artist signing: Fairey plus all three featured members of Devo, which substantially distinguishes it from his typical solo-signed editions. The print fuses Fairey's deep music fandom with election-year activism, framing Devo not just as a band but, in his words, as 'one of the smartest and most fully realized art projects to infiltrate pop culture.' Fairey's personal narrative, from obsessively requesting 'Whip It' in 1980 to recognizing Devo's critique of mindless conformity, gives the piece an autobiographical resonance that connects his own subversive graphic practice to Devo's. Calling the band members 'democracy DEVOtees,' Fairey directed proceeds toward Rise's student-vote initiative, tying counterculture admiration to concrete civic action in 2020. For collectors, the combination of a beloved music subject, a documented benefit cause, and the unusual four-way signature makes this one of the more desirable music-and-politics crossovers from Fairey's 2020 output, appealing across both his music and activist collector bases.
Collector Perspective
This print is highly attractive to music-focused Fairey collectors, especially Devo fans, because it is signed not only by Fairey but by all three pictured band members, a multi-signature feature that is uncommon in his catalog and adds collectible weight. It also draws politically minded collectors through its get-out-the-vote message and benefit tie to Rise's student-vote work. At 18 x 24 inches it is a standard, frameable size, and the edition of 575 is moderate. It fits well within a music-series grouping while crossing into Fairey's election-year activism, giving it dual appeal.
Historical Context
Devo Vote! brings together two long-running strands of Fairey's practice: his immersion in punk and new-wave music culture and his recurring election-year activism, here focused on the 2020 student vote. Fairey traces his connection to Devo back to 1980 and frames the band as a model of subversive art infiltrating the mainstream, a lineage he sees reflected in his own work. The multi-artist signing and the partnership with Rise situate the print within his broader 2020 effort to mobilize voters through culturally resonant collaborations, extending the music-meets-message approach that runs throughout his career.
FAQ
Who signed this print?
It is signed by Shepard Fairey along with all three pictured members of Devo: Mark Mothersbaugh, Gerald Casale, and Bob Mothersbaugh. The image is based on a photo by Robert Matheu.
What is the print's message?
Devo Vote! is both a tribute to Devo's subversive new-wave art and a get-out-the-vote call to action. Fairey calls the band 'democracy DEVOtees,' and proceeds benefited Rise's work to mobilize the student vote.
What are the size and edition?
The screen print measures 18 x 24 inches on thick cream Speckletone paper and was issued in a numbered edition of 575 at $85.
Why did Fairey make a Devo print?
Fairey describes a long admiration for Devo, dating to hearing 'Whip It' in 1980, and considers the band one of the smartest art projects to infiltrate pop culture for its critique of devolution and conformity.
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.