Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Handle With Care”?
Artist Statement
This print is titled "Handle With Care" and is similar to the mural which adorns the massive door of the Straat Museum in Amsterdam. I created this image as a hopeful way to focus on the need to address the health of our planet and its fragile nature. The mural and print are based on one of my fine art pieces focused on peace and harmony included in my exhibition at the Straat Museum. I have replicated many of the textures of the original art piece in the print and I'm very happy with the blend of the painterly and graphic in the print. The incorporated phrase "raise the level" encompasses various concepts, including raising our level of effort toward diplomacy over conflict, raising awareness about the impacts of burning fossil fuels and the rising sea levels caused by global warming, and the need for immediate action to protect the Earth. I hope my work seeds the idea that art can be a galvanizing and joyful form of communication and activism that shapes culture in both bold and subtle ways. Doctors Without Borders will receive a portion of proceeds from this print to support their efforts in war-torn parts of the world. Thanks for caring.? -Shepard Handle with Care. 41 x 31 inches. Screen print on custom cotton rag archival paper with hand-deckled edges. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Numbered edition of 100. Comes with a Digital Certificate of Authenticity provided by Verisart. $950. Obey publishing chop in lower left corner.
Summary
Handle With Care is a 2024 Shepard Fairey screen print related to the mural on the massive door of the STRAAT Museum in Amsterdam. Based on a fine-art piece focused on peace and harmony shown in his STRAAT exhibition, it blends painterly textures with graphic elements and incorporates the phrase "raise the level." Measuring 41 x 31 inches on custom cotton rag archival paper with hand-deckled edges, it is a signed, numbered edition of 100 from Obey Giant at $950, with an Obey publishing chop in the lower left and a Verisart certificate. A portion of proceeds benefits Doctors Without Borders.
Why It Matters
Handle With Care is among the more ambitious and premium screen prints in this group, distinguished by its large 41 x 31 inch scale, custom cotton rag archival paper with hand-deckled edges, and a small edition of 100. Its connection to the mural on the STRAAT Museum's monumental door and to a fine-art piece from Fairey's STRAAT exhibition gives it institutional and exhibition provenance that sets it apart from his standard releases. Fairey emphasizes the print's blend of painterly and graphic qualities, noting he replicated textures from the original artwork, which signals it as a more finely produced object aimed at serious collectors. The incorporated phrase "raise the level" carries layered meaning, spanning diplomacy over conflict, awareness of fossil-fuel impacts, and the literal rising sea levels of global warming, tying the work to his environmental advocacy. The Obey publishing chop and Verisart certificate reinforce its standing as a flagship piece. With Doctors Without Borders as beneficiary, the print pairs material refinement with activism. For collectors, the small edition, archival materials, museum-linked imagery, and higher price point together mark Handle With Care as a more significant acquisition than his everyday editions.
Collector Perspective
Handle With Care targets more serious collectors, given its small edition of 100, large 41 x 31 inch format, custom cotton rag archival paper with hand-deckled edges, and $950 release price. Its link to the STRAAT Museum mural and exhibition gives it exhibition provenance that appeals to buyers who prioritize museum-connected works, and the blend of painterly texture with graphic design makes it a centerpiece-quality wall piece. The Obey publishing chop, signature, numbering, and Verisart certificate together provide strong documentation. It suits established collectors seeking a premium environmental statement piece rather than entry-level buyers, and anchors a high-end environmental or peace-themed grouping. The Doctors Without Borders proceeds add cause-driven value.
Historical Context
Handle With Care, dated February 2024, connects Fairey's studio editions to his international museum work, deriving from the mural on the STRAAT Museum door in Amsterdam and a fine-art piece shown in his exhibition there. It reflects his continued effort during the 2020s to translate gallery and mural work into collectible editions while addressing environmental themes through the "raise the level" phrase and its climate-and-diplomacy meanings. The use of custom cotton rag archival paper with hand-deckled edges, a small edition of 100, an Obey publishing chop, and Verisart certification marks it as a premium production within his contemporary output. Its alignment with Doctors Without Borders continues his cause-partnership practice, situating the work in his Environmental Era.
FAQ
How is Handle With Care connected to the STRAAT Museum?
Fairey says the print is similar to the mural on the massive door of the STRAAT Museum in Amsterdam and is based on a fine-art piece focused on peace and harmony that was included in his exhibition at the museum.
What makes this print premium?
It measures 41 x 31 inches, is screen printed on custom cotton rag archival paper with hand-deckled edges, and is limited to a signed, numbered edition of 100 at $950. It carries an Obey publishing chop and a Verisart certificate.
What does the phrase "raise the level" mean?
Fairey explains it encompasses raising efforts toward diplomacy over conflict, raising awareness about burning fossil fuels and rising sea levels from global warming, and the need for immediate action to protect the Earth.
Does this print support a cause?
Yes. According to the source, Doctors Without Borders receives a portion of proceeds from this print 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.