Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Obey Diamond Flower Round”?
Artist Statement
"OBEY Diamond Flower Round" is an open flower, a symbol of positive growth, surrounded by graphic vines and geometric framework. The graphic resolution of the elements in this image is meant to encourage harmony. I frequently use visual problem-solving, finding harmony and balance with visual elements as a guide for how problems in the wider world can be approached with every variable for resolution taken into consideration. –Shepard Obey Diamond Flower Round. 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 Versiart. $85
Summary
Obey Diamond Flower Round is a 2023 screen print by Shepard Fairey, published by Obey Giant in a signed, numbered first edition of 550. Measuring 24 x 24 inches on thick cream Speckletone paper, it depicts an open flower framed by graphic vines and geometric structure. Fairey describes the flower as a symbol of positive growth and the composition as an exercise in visual harmony and balance. The print comes with a Digital Certificate of Authenticity provided by Verisart and was released at $85. The round, symmetrical floral motif sits within a square format, combining decorative pattern with Fairey's signature geometric ornamentation.
Why It Matters
This print distills a recurring strand in Fairey's practice: using floral and geometric harmony as a visual metaphor for problem-solving in the wider world. In his own words, finding balance among visual elements models how real-world problems might be approached with every variable considered. That makes the Diamond Flower Round more than decorative; it carries Fairey's optimistic, systems-minded framing of harmony as something deliberately constructed. At a 24 x 24 inch square format and an edition of 550, it occupies an accessible tier of his output, released at $85, which broadens its appeal beyond dedicated collectors. The Speckletone paper, hand-numbered edition, and Verisart certificate align with the production standards collectors expect from Obey Giant releases of this period. Within Fairey's catalog it complements his broader body of floral and mandala-adjacent imagery, where positive symbolism and ornamental structure substitute for the overt political messaging of his propaganda work. For collectors building a thematic group around growth, harmony, and pattern, it is a clean, representative example that reads well on a wall while still carrying the artist's stated intent.
Collector Perspective
This appeals to collectors who favor Fairey's decorative, harmony-driven work over his overtly political prints, and to buyers entering the Obey Giant market at an accessible price point. The square 24 x 24 inch format and symmetrical floral composition make it an easy, balanced piece to frame and display, working well as a standalone statement or paired with other floral and geometric prints. Its signed, numbered edition of 550 and Verisart certificate satisfy collectors who prioritize documented authenticity. It fits naturally into a collection organized around floral motifs, positive symbolism, or Fairey's pattern-based work, and serves as a representative example of his 2020s ornamental output without requiring the budget of his large-format or hand-finished editions.
Historical Context
Released in 2023, this print sits in Fairey's recent contemporary period, where floral and harmony-themed imagery appears alongside his ongoing political and collaborative output. The flower-growing-from-structure motif and emphasis on balance reflect a maturing thread in his work in which ornamental, optimistic symbolism carries his messaging rather than confrontational propaganda. Published by Obey Giant on Speckletone paper with a Verisart digital certificate, it follows the production conventions standard to his studio in this era. It connects to his earlier floral and diamond compositions, extending a visual vocabulary of vines, geometric framing, and centered blooms that he has returned to repeatedly. Rather than marking a singular career milestone, it functions as a consistent, well-executed entry in his continuing exploration of harmony as both aesthetic and ethic.
FAQ
What is the edition size of Obey Diamond Flower Round?
It is a signed, numbered first edition of 550. Published by Obey Giant, each print is signed by Shepard Fairey and comes with a Digital Certificate of Authenticity provided by Verisart, the standard documentation for Obey Giant releases of this period.
What are the dimensions and materials?
The print measures 24 x 24 inches and is a screen print on thick cream Speckletone paper. Its square format frames a centered open flower surrounded by graphic vines and geometric structure, executed in Fairey's signature ornamental style.
What does the imagery represent?
Fairey describes the open flower as a symbol of positive growth, surrounded by graphic vines and geometric framework. He intends the harmony of the visual elements to model how problems in the wider world might be approached with balance and every variable considered.
When was it released and at what price?
It was released in 2023, dated May 11, 2023, through Obey Giant at an original price of $85. As with other releases of this size and edition, it sits at an accessible tier of Fairey's catalog.
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.