What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Icarus Pride”?

Artist Statement

Most people are familiar with the Greek fable of Icarus, a teenager who builds wings of wax and feathers, and is cautioned by his father about the dangers of flying too close to the sun. Fuelled by hubris and a sense of invincibility, Icarus ignores his father's advice, flies too close to the sun, and perishes when his wings melt and he plunges into the sea. The Icarus fable is a lesson cautioning us against allowing ego to cloud our judgment. Dominatio Terrae means "dominion (or domination) over the earth." Like Icarus, we humans have become drunk with power, and our pride keeps us short-sighted about how we are destabilizing the planet that sustains us. Humility about our place within the delicate balance of earth's ecosystems is a step to reverse a destructive course, but action around environmental responsibility is essential. A portion of proceeds from this print will benefit Greenpeace USA to support its efforts to combat climate change and environmental recklessness. Thanks for caring! –Shepard Icarus Pride. 24 x 36 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. $95.

Summary

Icarus Pride is a 2022 Shepard Fairey screen print measuring 24 x 36 inches, printed on thick cream Speckletone paper in a signed, numbered edition of 500 published by Obey Giant. The image draws on the Greek fable of Icarus, who flew too close to the sun, and pairs it with the Latin phrase Dominatio Terrae, meaning dominion over the earth. Fairey uses the myth as an environmental allegory about human hubris destabilizing the planet. Per the source, a portion of proceeds benefits Greenpeace USA to support its climate efforts. The print comes with a Verisart digital Certificate of Authenticity and combines mythological symbolism with Fairey's bold graphic style.

Why It Matters

Icarus Pride is one of Fairey's more allegorical environmental statements, using a classical myth to frame a contemporary climate warning. In the source, Fairey explicitly maps the Icarus fable onto humanity's ego-driven destabilization of the planet, and pairs it with Dominatio Terrae, dominion over the earth, to critique human domination of nature. That literary and Latin framing gives the print conceptual layers beyond a typical protest poster, rewarding collectors who value Fairey's symbolic storytelling. The work also sits squarely in his environmental advocacy practice: the source states a portion of proceeds benefits Greenpeace USA to combat climate change. At 24 x 36 inches it is a substantial statement piece, and the signed, numbered edition of 500 with Verisart authentication makes it well documented. Its importance lies in how it fuses myth, Latin motto, and climate urgency into a single graphic, exemplifying Fairey's shift toward environmental themes in his contemporary period. The cautious read is that, as one of several climate-focused editions from this era, it is significant but not singular; its distinctive mythological hook and Greenpeace tie give it a clear identity within that environmental body of work.

Collector Perspective

This print appeals to collectors focused on Fairey's environmental and political work, as well as those drawn to its mythological narrative and Latin motto. The 24 x 36 inch scale makes it a commanding focal point for a wall, and the cream Speckletone screen print finish carries the tactile quality collectors prize. Buyers who value cause-driven art will note the source's statement that a portion of proceeds benefits Greenpeace USA. As a signed, numbered edition of 500 with a Verisart digital Certificate of Authenticity, it offers solid documentation at a mid-range scale. It fits naturally into an environmental-themed collection alongside Fairey's other climate prints, and its allegorical concept gives it discussion value when displayed among more literal protest imagery.

Historical Context

Icarus Pride belongs to Fairey's environmental-advocacy output of the early 2020s, a period in which climate and ecological themes became central to his releases. The source ties it to Greenpeace USA, situating it within his consistent practice of channeling print proceeds toward causes. Its use of the Icarus myth and the Latin phrase Dominatio Terrae reflects Fairey's interest in classical and Latin motifs, which he has employed across other works of this era. As a 2022 screen print published by Obey Giant with Verisart authentication, it represents his mature studio's well-documented, message-driven editions rather than an early street-derived image. Within his arc, it marks the continued deepening of his environmental voice, using allegory to extend his propaganda-influenced graphic style into climate commentary.

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Related Works

Fragile Cargo2022 · Same-year environmental screen print sharing the climate-and-ecology theme.

Rise Above Flower2021 · Adjacent environmental work pairing nature symbolism with Fairey's resilience messaging.

Protect Biodiversity - Cultivate Harmony2021 · Closely related ecology-and-biodiversity print in the same environmental theme.

Earth Preservation2025 · Later environmental edition continuing the planet-protection message of Icarus Pride.

Bee Geometric (Red)2024 · Environmental print sharing the ecological-collapse and nature-protection concern.