Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Meditation Woman”?
Artist Statement
This "Meditation Woman" print is a celebration of various forms of meditation, but also a reminder that the positive effects of meditation are constantly undermined and threatened by aspects of our culture and politics. Meditation is defined as: to engage in calm contemplation or reflection. Meditation is also a deliberate pause to regulate breathing and calm the mind, which in its various forms, is a common practice worldwide because it has benefits for brain health and overall well-being. Meditation can be used to relax, reduce anxiety and stress, and enhance health. Many aspects of our competitive, fast-paced, and media-overloaded world are threats to the periods of reflection and tranquility we need for health and happiness... not only as individuals, but as societies and nations. There is a reason we are told over and over to "just take a deep breath" when encountered with chaos and stress. Let this print serve as a gentle reminder to at least take time to breathe deeply, contemplate, and reflect. I'd also recommend transcendental meditation, which requires no religious or group affiliation and provides tremendous stress relief. I'm not disciplined in my meditation practice, but I always find it beneficial! -Shepard PRINT DETAILS: Meditation Woman. 18 x 24 inches. Screen print on 80# cream Speckletone paper. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Numbered edition of 550. Comes with a Digital Certificate of Authenticity provided by Verisart. $60
Summary
Meditation Woman is a 2025 Obey Giant screen print, 18 x 24 inches on 80# cream Speckletone paper, in a numbered edition of 550. The print celebrates various forms of meditation while arguing that the calm and reflection meditation provides are undermined by a competitive, fast-paced, media-overloaded culture. Fairey defines meditation as calm contemplation and a deliberate pause to regulate breathing, noting its benefits for brain health and well-being, and recommends practices such as transcendental meditation. The work serves as a gentle reminder to breathe deeply and reflect. It is signed by Shepard Fairey and includes a Verisart Certificate of Authenticity. It priced at $60 on release.
Why It Matters
Meditation Woman represents the more introspective side of Fairey's catalog, pairing his decorative portrait style with a wellness-oriented message. Rather than targeting a political opponent, the print advocates for mental health and reflection, framing meditation as a practice with benefits for "brain health and overall well-being." Fairey gives the message a subtle social dimension, observing that the "competitive, fast-paced, and media-overloaded world" threatens the tranquility individuals and societies need. He even offers a specific recommendation, transcendental meditation, noting it requires no religious or group affiliation. For collectors, the print sits at the intersection of Fairey's portrait and symbolic-imagery work, offering a calmer, more contemplative tone than his overtly activist pieces. That makes it appealing to buyers who appreciate the meditative, ornamental dimension of his output and who want a portrait with a positive, self-care message. As a 2025 release in a numbered edition, it adds a wellness-themed entry to his contemporary body of work, broadening the emotional range of his iconography beyond protest and politics.
Collector Perspective
This print suits collectors who favor the contemplative, decorative side of Fairey's portraiture and buyers drawn to a positive wellness and mindfulness message rather than overt politics. Its calmer tone makes it a fitting display piece for a home or studio meant to feel reflective, and it pairs well with Fairey's floral and symbolic imagery. At 18 x 24 inches with a numbered edition of 550, it offers a defined edition without scarcity. The artist signature and Verisart certificate support documented authenticity. It fits collections that balance Fairey's activist prints with his more meditative, ornamental works.
Historical Context
Released in 2025 through Obey Giant, Meditation Woman belongs to the contemplative, wellness-oriented strand of Fairey's contemporary output that complements his political and environmental prints. The work draws on his recurring use of stylized female figures within decorative, symbolic compositions, here turned toward themes of calm, reflection, and mental health. By framing meditation as a counterweight to a "media-overloaded world," the print extends Fairey's broader cultural commentary into the realm of personal well-being. It exemplifies how, in his later catalog, he balances overt activism with quieter, introspective imagery that still carries a gentle critique of modern cultural pressures.
FAQ
What is the message of Meditation Woman?
The print celebrates various forms of meditation while warning that calm and reflection are undermined by a competitive, fast-paced, media-overloaded culture. Fairey describes meditation as a deliberate pause to regulate breathing and calm the mind, with benefits for brain health and well-being.
What are the edition details?
Meditation Woman is a First Edition screen print measuring 18 x 24 inches on 80# cream Speckletone paper, in a numbered edition of 550. It is signed by Shepard Fairey and includes a Digital Certificate of Authenticity from Verisart. It was released in 2025 at $60.
Does Fairey recommend a specific practice?
Yes. In his accompanying text he recommends transcendental meditation, noting that it requires no religious or group affiliation and provides tremendous stress relief. He adds that while he is not disciplined in his own practice, he always finds it beneficial.
How does this print differ from his political work?
Rather than targeting a political issue, Meditation Woman carries a wellness and mindfulness message, offered as a gentle reminder to breathe deeply, contemplate, and reflect. It represents the calmer, more introspective side of Fairey's 2025 output.
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.