Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “AK-47 Lotus (Offset Lithograph)”?
Artist Statement
The AK-47 Lotus and AR-15 Lily images are inspired by Vietnam War protesters who would put flowers in the gun barrels of the National Guard who were brought in to suppress their protests for peace. I'm a pacifist, whether that means finding diplomatic solutions to prevent and avoid war internationally or finding diplomatic solutions to prevent and avoid gun violence at home. I want fewer people to die unnecessarily. Doctors Without Borders will receive a portion of proceeds from these two prints to support their efforts in war-torn parts of the world. Thanks for caring.? -Shepard? AK-47 Lotus & AR-15 Lily. 24 x 36 inches. Offset Lithograph on thick cream Speckletone paper. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Open edition (unnumbered). $40 each.
Summary
AK-47 Lotus is a 2024 Shepard Fairey offset lithograph pairing a lotus with an AK-47 rifle, released as a two-image set with AR-15 Lily. The imagery references Vietnam War protesters who placed flowers in soldiers' gun barrels. Measuring 24 x 36 inches on thick cream Speckletone paper, this offset edition is signed and issued as an open, unnumbered edition by Obey Giant at $40. Fairey describes himself as a pacifist seeking diplomatic solutions to both war abroad and gun violence at home. Doctors Without Borders receives a portion of proceeds from the print.
Why It Matters
AK-47 Lotus pairs the world's most recognizable assault rifle with the lotus, a longstanding symbol of peace and spiritual purity, to revive the iconic protest image of a flower in a gun barrel. As the companion to AR-15 Lily, it broadens Fairey's anti-war argument beyond domestic gun violence to international conflict, with the AK-47 evoking global warfare just as the AR-15 evokes American mass shootings. Together the two images articulate a consistent pacifist position: that diplomacy should replace violence whether at home or abroad, and that fewer people should die unnecessarily. The lotus carries additional resonance as a recurring motif across Fairey's catalog, linking this protest statement to his broader visual vocabulary of floral symbolism. Released as an accessible $40 open-edition offset lithograph, the print reflects his deliberate strategy of prioritizing wide dissemination for his most pointed messages over manufactured scarcity. The Doctors Without Borders partnership anchors the work to humanitarian aid in conflict zones. For collectors, AK-47 Lotus is a strong, legible anti-war image that connects 1960s protest history to present-day debates and works as a paired set with AR-15 Lily.
Collector Perspective
AK-47 Lotus appeals to collectors interested in Fairey's anti-war work and his recurring lotus motif, and to those who appreciate imagery grounded in protest history. As an open, unnumbered offset lithograph at $40, it is among the most accessible formats in his catalog and offers a large 24 x 36 inch statement without a premium price. It is designed to pair with its companion AR-15 Lily for a two-print display and fits naturally into peace, anti-war, and floral-symbolism groupings. The Doctors Without Borders proceeds add cause-driven appeal for activist-minded buyers. Because it is an open edition, collectors should approach it as accessible message art rather than a scarcity play.
Historical Context
AK-47 Lotus, dated February 2024, sits within Fairey's long-running anti-war output and revives the Vietnam War-era image of flowers placed in soldiers' gun barrels. Pairing the AK-47 with the lotus connects his pacifist message to both international conflict and his broader use of floral symbolism across the catalog. Issued alongside AR-15 Lily as an open-edition offset lithograph on cream Speckletone paper, it reflects his practice of offering accessible, widely distributed formats for his most message-driven imagery. Its alignment with Doctors Without Borders continues his pattern of pairing releases with humanitarian organizations, placing the work within his Modern Activism Era.
FAQ
What inspired AK-47 Lotus?
Fairey says the image is inspired by Vietnam War protesters who placed flowers in the gun barrels of the National Guard. He pairs an AK-47 with a lotus to extend his pacifist message to both international war and gun violence at home.
Is AK-47 Lotus a numbered edition?
No. This offset lithograph is an open, unnumbered edition signed by Shepard Fairey and published by Obey Giant at $40. It was released alongside the companion print AR-15 Lily.
What are the dimensions and materials?
AK-47 Lotus measures 24 x 36 inches and is an offset lithograph on thick cream Speckletone paper, signed by Shepard Fairey.
Does this print support a cause?
Yes. According to the source, Doctors Without Borders receives a portion of proceeds from this print and its companion to support their efforts in war-torn parts of the world.
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.