Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Reconnect (First Edition)”?
Artist Statement
18x24" SIGNED and NUMBERED silkscreen print on thick speckle-tone creme archival paper featuring Common by Shepard Fairey
Summary
Reconnect (2021) is a signed, numbered silkscreen print by Shepard Fairey featuring the artist and activist Common. Made in collaboration with the Amplifier Foundation, it is printed on thick speckle-tone creme archival paper and measures 18 x 24 inches in a first edition of 450. Fairey applies his bold, poster-style graphic portraiture to Common, framing the musician as a figure of cultural and social significance. The work pairs his screen-print craft with Amplifier's mission of producing art for social change, and was released alongside its companion piece, Reenvision.
Why It Matters
Reconnect is a key example of Fairey's collaboration with the Amplifier Foundation, the nonprofit that circulates art in support of movements and causes. By portraying Common, a hip-hop artist long associated with social activism and community work, Fairey ties his graphic portraiture to music culture and to socially engaged celebrity. This matters because it demonstrates how his propaganda-inspired portrait style can bridge entertainment and advocacy, presenting a recording artist not merely as a star but as a voice for change. The 18 x 24 inch silkscreen on thick speckle-tone creme archival paper reflects the consistent materials and scale of his Amplifier-linked editions, and its edition of 450 marks a moderately scaled release. For collectors, Reconnect operates as both a music portrait and a social-justice artifact, and as the companion to Reenvision it forms part of a deliberate themed pairing. It appeals to those interested in Fairey's intersection of music, activism, and portraiture, and in the Amplifier project's broader aim of using accessible editions to spread imagery that elevates people and ideas rather than commercial products.
Collector Perspective
Reconnect appeals to collectors who follow Fairey's music portraits and his cause-driven Amplifier collaborations. The subject, Common, makes it especially attractive to those who collect at the crossroads of hip-hop and activism. At 18 x 24 inches on speckle-tone creme archival paper, it presents well on its own or paired with its companion Reenvision for a matched display. The signed, numbered edition of 450 keeps it accessible while still limited, suiting both newer collectors and those building a focused set of Fairey's contemporary portraits. Buyers who collect by theme, particularly music and social justice, will find it a meaningful addition, and its clear link to the Amplifier series makes it a natural anchor for a small thematic grouping.
Historical Context
Issued in 2021 through the Amplifier Foundation, Reconnect belongs to Fairey's extended run of collaborative, cause-oriented editions that apply his heroic poster portraiture to contemporary figures. Amplifier's model of distributing protest and advocacy art aligns with Fairey's long-standing use of portraiture to confer significance on its subjects. Choosing Common, an artist known for both music and activism, situates the print within Fairey's recurring engagement with music culture and social engagement. Released as a companion to Reenvision, it reflects his practice during this period of producing themed pairs and series with Amplifier, extending the politically charged portrait tradition of his earlier work into present-day cultural and movement figures.
FAQ
Who is featured in Reconnect?
The print features Common, rendered in Shepard Fairey's graphic portrait style. It was created in collaboration with the Amplifier Foundation, a nonprofit that produces and distributes art supporting social-change movements.
What are the dimensions and medium?
Reconnect is an 18 x 24 inch silkscreen print on thick speckle-tone creme archival paper. It is a signed and numbered screen print produced in 2021 through the Amplifier Foundation.
What is the edition size?
The print is a signed and numbered first edition of 450. Each is signed by Shepard Fairey and individually numbered, placing it among his moderately sized collaborative releases from 2021.
Is there a companion print?
Yes. Reconnect was released alongside Reenvision, which features Ai-Jen Poo. Both share the same 18 x 24 inch format, speckle-tone creme archival paper, edition of 450, and Amplifier Foundation collaboration, forming a matched pair.
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.