Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Unity - Obey Flower”?
Artist Statement
'Unity - Obey Flower' Collaboration with Shepard Fairey Hand pulled 5 colour silkscreen On Somerset radient white 410gsm Size: 74 x 74cm (29 x 29inches) Signed bottom left by both artists Stamped bottom right Bottom edge hand deckled Edition: 150 Price £350
Summary
Unity - Obey Flower is a 2021 collaboration involving Shepard Fairey, published by Stolen Space. It is a hand-pulled 5-color silkscreen on Somerset Radiant White 410gsm paper, measuring 74 x 74 cm (29 x 29 inches) in a square format. The source notes it is signed bottom left by both artists, stamped bottom right, and hand deckled along the bottom edge, in a numbered edition of 150 with a release price of £350. The image centers on Fairey's stylized flower motif. Its large square format, heavyweight Somerset stock and dual-signed, deckled presentation mark it as a premium collaborative edition rather than a standard drop.
Why It Matters
Unity - Obey Flower represents the higher-end, gallery-grade tier of Fairey's collaborative output. Compared to his typical 18 x 24 inch Speckletone drops, this is a large 74 x 74 cm hand-pulled silkscreen on premium Somerset paper, dual-signed and finished with a hand-deckled edge, all signals of an edition produced for serious collectors rather than mass release. The small run of 150 reinforces that positioning. Published through London's Stolen Space, it documents Fairey's continued engagement with the European gallery scene and his willingness to invest in elaborate, labor-intensive production for collaborative pieces. The flower motif ties it directly to a broader floral thread running through his early-2020s work, making it a centerpiece for collectors assembling that grouping. As a database entry it matters because it captures how Fairey scaled a recurring decorative motif up into a deluxe, technically ambitious object, distinct from the more affordable versions of the same theme issued the same year.
Collector Perspective
This is aimed at collectors who want a statement-scale, premium Fairey collaboration rather than an entry-level drop. The large 29 x 29 inch square format makes it a focal display piece, and the heavyweight Somerset paper, dual signatures, stamp and hand-deckled edge appeal to buyers who value craft and finishing details. With an edition of just 150 and a £350 release price, it sits at the upper-accessible tier of his collaborative prints. It fits collections organized around the OBEY floral motif, premium silkscreens, or Stolen Space releases, and pairs naturally with the smaller K&S Flower Diamond and the later round flower variant for a thematic set.
Historical Context
Unity - Obey Flower belongs to Fairey's contemporary period of decorative and collaborative editions. By 2021 the flower motif had become a recurring element in his catalog, and this large-format silkscreen represents its most ambitious production treatment that year, with a 5-color hand-pulled process on premium Somerset stock. Its publication through Stolen Space places it within his European exhibition and release activity rather than his US Obey Giant drops. Within Fairey's longer arc, the piece shows how the OBEY graphic identity, rooted in his late-1980s street and propaganda work, evolved into refined, craft-focused gallery editions intended for collectors who prize scale, finishing and limited runs.
FAQ
How is this print signed?
According to the source, it is signed bottom left by both artists and stamped bottom right, with a hand-deckled bottom edge. This dual signature and finishing reflect its status as a premium collaborative edition.
What are the dimensions and materials?
It is a hand-pulled 5-color silkscreen on Somerset Radiant White 410gsm paper, measuring 74 x 74 cm (29 x 29 inches). The large square format and heavyweight stock distinguish it from Fairey's standard Speckletone drops.
How large is the edition and what was the price?
The source lists a numbered edition of 150 and a release price of £350. The small run and premium production place it at the upper-accessible tier of Fairey's collaborative prints.
What is the subject of the image?
The image centers on Fairey's stylized flower motif, part of a broader floral thread in his early-2020s work. It emphasizes ornamental, decorative form, consistent with the collaboration's design-forward focus.
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.