Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Cultivate Harmony”?
Artist Statement
The Cultivate Harmony print symbolizes the need to break away from short-sighted nationalism, tribalism, and self-absorption to see that we are all connected to each other and the fate of the planet. The paths forward needed by humanity and the planet require respect, unity, compassion, and thoughtful analysis. Our fates are intertwined. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Greenpeace USA to support its efforts to combat climate change and environmental recklessness. –Shepard Cultivate Harmony. 12 x 24 inches. Screen print on thick cream Speckletone paper. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Numbered edition of 500. Comes with a Digital Certificate of Authenticity provided by Verisart. $45.
Summary
Cultivate Harmony is a 2022 Shepard Fairey screen print published by Obey Giant, measuring 12 x 24 inches on thick cream Speckletone paper. The image symbolizes breaking away from short-sighted nationalism, tribalism, and self-absorption to recognize that humanity and the planet's fate are intertwined. Fairey calls for respect, unity, compassion, and thoughtful analysis as the path forward. A portion of proceeds benefits Greenpeace USA's work against climate change and environmental recklessness. The print is signed by Fairey and issued in a numbered edition of 500, with a Digital Certificate of Authenticity provided by Verisart.
Why It Matters
Cultivate Harmony is one of Fairey's most explicit statements of his interconnection-and-unity philosophy. The print, in his words, symbolizes the need to break away from short-sighted nationalism, tribalism, and self-absorption to see that 'we are all connected to each other and the fate of the planet,' calling for respect, unity, compassion, and thoughtful analysis. That message places it at the heart of his environmental and peace-oriented output of the early 2020s. Crucially, the work carries a stated charitable dimension: a portion of proceeds benefits Greenpeace USA in support of efforts to combat climate change and environmental recklessness, linking the print directly to activist funding. For collectors, this combination of a clear ethical message and a tangible cause-based component adds depth beyond pure aesthetics. The 12 x 24 vertical format and modest $45 release price made it an accessible piece within his Greenpeace-supporting series. It connects to a cluster of harmony and environmental prints from the same window, reinforcing its role as a representative work of Fairey's mature activist period. Issued as a signed, numbered edition of 500 with Verisart authentication, it embodies his model of pairing collectible screen prints with real-world advocacy.
Collector Perspective
Cultivate Harmony attracts collectors who value art with a clear social and environmental message and a charitable component, since a portion of proceeds benefited Greenpeace USA. The unity-and-interconnection theme gives the work resonance for buyers who want their collection to reflect activist values. The 12 x 24 inch vertical format is easy to frame and groups naturally with other environmental and harmony prints from the same period. At an original $45 in a signed, numbered edition of 500, it represented an accessible price point with full documentation via the Verisart Digital Certificate of Authenticity. Collectors assembling an environmental or peace-themed Fairey set will find it a meaningful and well-documented addition that pairs with companion works on climate and global unity.
Historical Context
Cultivate Harmony fits within Fairey's sustained early-2020s focus on environmental responsibility and global unity, a period in which he repeatedly tied print releases to organizations like Greenpeace USA. The work reflects his philosophy that human and planetary fates are intertwined and that nationalism and tribalism must give way to compassion and cooperation. It belongs to a run of harmony and climate-themed screen prints issued on Speckletone paper with Verisart certificates, his mature production standard. By directing proceeds to environmental advocacy, the print exemplifies how Fairey increasingly fused his studio output with direct cause support, extending the activist intent of his earlier street and political work into a contemplative, message-driven phase.
FAQ
What message does Cultivate Harmony convey?
Fairey describes it as symbolizing the need to break away from short-sighted nationalism, tribalism, and self-absorption to see that we are all connected to each other and the fate of the planet. He calls for respect, unity, compassion, and thoughtful analysis, noting that our fates are intertwined.
Does this print support a charitable cause?
Yes. According to the release, a portion of the proceeds benefits Greenpeace USA to support its efforts to combat climate change and environmental recklessness, linking the print directly to environmental advocacy funding.
What are the dimensions, edition size, and medium?
Cultivate Harmony is a 12 x 24 inch screen print on thick cream Speckletone paper, issued in 2022 as a numbered first edition of 500. It is signed by Shepard Fairey and includes a Digital Certificate of Authenticity provided by Verisart.
What was the original release price?
The print was released in 2022 at an original price of $45, making it an accessible entry within Fairey's environmental, Greenpeace-supporting series of signed screen prints.
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.