Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Obey Radiant Lotus”?
Artist Statement
The Radiant Lotus is part of a recent series of my works exploring round compositions. This print is inspired by the symbolism and beauty of the Lotus flower emanating positive energy, rendered with a graphic and geometric style. The Lotus is something beautiful that grows out of the mud. I see the Lotus as a metaphor for what is especially needed in this moment, an effort to lift ourselves out of the mud of political feuding and environmental irresponsibility in pursuit of harmony with each other and the planet. –Shepard Obey Radiant Lotus. 24 x 24 inches. Screen print on thick cream Speckletone paper. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Numbered edition of 550. Comes with a Digital Certificate of Authenticity provided by Verisart. $85.
Summary
Obey Radiant Lotus is a 2022 Shepard Fairey screen print published by Obey Giant, measuring 24 x 24 inches on thick cream Speckletone paper. Part of a series exploring round compositions, it renders a lotus flower in a graphic, geometric style as a symbol of positive energy. Fairey describes the lotus as something beautiful that grows from the mud, using it as a metaphor for lifting out of political feuding and environmental irresponsibility toward harmony with each other and the planet. The print is signed by Fairey and issued in a numbered edition of 550, with a Digital Certificate of Authenticity provided by Verisart.
Why It Matters
Obey Radiant Lotus distills Fairey's environmental and harmony messaging into a single, contemplative symbol. In his own words, the lotus is a metaphor for what is 'especially needed in this moment,' an effort to rise out of the mud of political feuding and environmental irresponsibility toward harmony with each other and the planet. The square 24 x 24 format reflects his stated interest in round, mandala-like compositions, making this print a clear example of his early-2020s formal experimentation. For collectors, the work matters as a bridge between Fairey's decorative instincts and his activist intent: the geometric lotus is visually serene yet carries an explicit environmental and unity message. It anchors a recognizable lotus sub-series within his catalog, connecting to companion prints that reprise the same flower in different formats and palettes. The combination of a positive, universally legible symbol with Fairey's graphic discipline gives the piece broad appeal beyond his more confrontational political work. Issued at $85 in a signed, numbered edition of 550 with Verisart authentication, it follows his mature Obey Giant release model and stands as one of the cornerstone lotus images from this productive environmental period.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to collectors who favor Fairey's environmental and symbolic work over his hardest-edged political imagery. The serene lotus and balanced square composition make it a versatile centerpiece that reads as both meaningful and decorative, suiting living spaces and design-conscious interiors. The 24 x 24 inch format is substantial enough to anchor a wall on its own while still pairing well with other round-composition and floral prints in a grouping. At an original $85 in a signed, numbered edition of 550, it offers a mid-range Fairey acquisition with full documentation, including the Verisart Digital Certificate of Authenticity. Collectors building a lotus or environmental theme will value it as a flagship image that connects to several related lotus and harmony works from the same era.
Historical Context
Obey Radiant Lotus belongs to Fairey's early-2020s body of work exploring round, mandala-influenced compositions and recurring botanical symbols. By 2022 his environmental messaging had become a sustained focus, with the lotus emerging as a key motif representing growth, harmony, and resilience. The print exemplifies how Fairey paired formal experimentation, here the square, radiating composition, with explicit calls for environmental responsibility and unity. It sits among a cluster of lotus and harmony prints from this period and reflects his mature studio production: signed, numbered Speckletone-paper screen prints with Verisart certificates. The work shows Fairey channeling his graphic poster language toward contemplative, nature-centered imagery rather than the street-derived agitation of his earlier career.
FAQ
What does the lotus symbolize in this print?
Fairey describes the lotus as something beautiful that grows out of the mud, using it as a metaphor for lifting ourselves out of political feuding and environmental irresponsibility in pursuit of harmony with each other and the planet. It emanates positive energy in a graphic, geometric style.
What are the dimensions and medium?
Obey Radiant Lotus is a screen print measuring 24 x 24 inches on thick cream Speckletone paper. Its square format reflects Fairey's stated interest in round compositions, part of a recent series he was exploring at the time of the 2022 release.
How large is the edition and what authentication is included?
The print is a numbered first edition of 550, signed by Shepard Fairey. Each comes with a Digital Certificate of Authenticity provided by Verisart, the standard authentication accompanying his Obey Giant screen prints.
What was the original price?
Obey Radiant Lotus was released in 2022 at an original price of $85, positioning it as a mid-range acquisition among Fairey's signed, numbered environmental screen prints from that period.
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.