Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “They Divide We Multiply”?
Artist Statement
This "They Divide We Multiply" print is a collaboration with my friend, former co-worker, and activist Ernesto Yerena. Ernesto and I have been friends for almost 20 years, and when we sat in the same room working, we often talked about politics and social issues. Ernesto has become a very important creative voice, lending his talents to lots of important progressive causes. He and I have collaborated on cause-related art, and both of us work with many of the same grassroots organizations, which bring many creatives from a range of backgrounds together for the common cause of pushing for justice. While others attempt to divide people, we focus on bringing multitudes together. This grid-like Icon Face variation was originally created for a show I did in 2000 called "Repetition Works," and Ernesto and I decided it would be nice to do a medium format fine art print update incorporating new colors and Ernesto's rose icon emanating rays which symbolize dignity. This print basically represents collaboration, activism, and solidarity, which also is the embodiment of how Ernesto and I have worked together and with bigger coalitions. Edition of 100. Half will be sold on obeygiant.com and half on hechoconganas.com. -Shepard PRINT DETAILS: They Divide We Multiply. 24 x 29 inches. Screen print on Crane's Lettra Ecru 100% cotton rag paper with hand-deckled edges. Signed by Shepard Fairey and Ernesto Yerena. Numbered edition of 100. Hecho Con Ganas publishing chop in lower left corner. Comes with a Digital Certificate of Authenticity provided by Verisart. $400.
Summary
They Divide We Multiply is a 2024 Shepard Fairey screen print, 24 x 29 inches, printed on Crane's Lettra Ecru 100% cotton rag paper with hand-deckled edges in a numbered edition of 100. It is a collaboration with artist and activist Ernesto Yerena, signed by both. The work is a grid-like Icon Face variation originally created for Fairey's 2000 show Repetition Works, updated with new colors and Yerena's rose icon emanating rays that symbolize dignity. Fairey frames the print as representing collaboration, activism, and solidarity. It carries the Hecho Con Ganas publishing chop, a Verisart certificate, and was split for sale between obeygiant.com and hechoconganas.com.
Why It Matters
They Divide We Multiply is among the more significant prints in this group, combining a deep OBEY lineage with a meaningful collaboration. The grid Icon Face derives from Fairey's 2000 Repetition Works show, tying the image to a foundational moment in his exploration of repetition and iconography, while the update introduces Ernesto Yerena's rose-and-rays motif symbolizing dignity. The two have been friends and collaborators for nearly twenty years, working with shared grassroots organizations, so the print embodies its own message of solidarity and collective action. Its physical specifications elevate it: a small edition of 100 on Crane's Lettra cotton rag with hand-deckled edges, dual signatures, and the Hecho Con Ganas chop, all marks of a more deliberate, fine-art-oriented release. The split distribution across both artists' platforms reinforces the collaborative ethos. At the released $400 price and edition of 100, it is the most exclusive piece here, appealing to collectors who prioritize scarcity, dual-artist provenance, and a clear activist statement rooted in Fairey's iconographic history.
Collector Perspective
This print targets collectors who prioritize scarcity and provenance: an edition of just 100, dual signatures from Fairey and Ernesto Yerena, premium Crane's Lettra cotton rag with hand-deckled edges, and the Hecho Con Ganas chop. It appeals to those interested in OBEY iconography and in Fairey's collaborations with fellow activist artists. The grid Icon Face composition makes it a recognizable, statement-scale piece at 24 x 29 inches. Collectors building a collaboration-focused or icon-focused grouping will value its dual-platform release and its roots in the 2000 Repetition Works show. It is a higher-tier acquisition aimed at committed collectors rather than casual buyers.
Historical Context
They Divide We Multiply reaches back to Fairey's 2000 Repetition Works show, from which its grid Icon Face originates, linking it to his early exploration of repetition and the Icon Face motif. The 2024 update with Ernesto Yerena reflects a nearly two-decade collaborative relationship rooted in shared grassroots activism. The use of Crane's Lettra cotton rag, hand-deckled edges, dual signatures, and the Hecho Con Ganas publishing chop marks it as a fine-art-oriented release within his Modern Activism period. Splitting the edition between obeygiant.com and hechoconganas.com mirrors the collaborative, coalition-building theme and situates the print at the intersection of Fairey's iconographic legacy and his ongoing solidarity-driven partnerships.
FAQ
Who collaborated on this print?
It is a collaboration with artist and activist Ernesto Yerena, a friend and former co-worker of Fairey's for nearly twenty years. Both artists signed the print, and it carries the Hecho Con Ganas publishing chop in the lower left corner.
What is the edition size and paper?
It is a numbered edition of 100, printed on Crane's Lettra Ecru 100% cotton rag paper with hand-deckled edges, measuring 24 x 29 inches. It comes with a Digital Certificate of Authenticity provided by Verisart.
Where does the image come from?
The grid-like Icon Face variation was originally created for Fairey's 2000 show Repetition Works. For this print it was updated with new colors and Yerena's rose icon emanating rays, which symbolize dignity.
How was the edition distributed?
According to the source, half of the edition of 100 was sold on obeygiant.com and half on hechoconganas.com, reflecting the collaborative nature of the project.
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.