Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Make Art Not War (Painting) (Cream)”?
Artist Statement
I saw one of Alfredo Gonzalez's art pieces online and did a deep dive into his exquisitely rendered body of work. I then contacted him to commission an art piece, which led to us becoming friends and to further art acquisitions, and eventually to this Make Art Not War(Painting) print project. Alfredo, being of a kind and generous character, made a small painting inspired by my Make Art Not War print and gave it to me as a gift. I was so impressed by his interpretation of the print that I suggested we make a hybrid collaboration piece, which led to a t-shirt and now to these print variations. Collaboration is one of the most important mechanisms of peace, so I'm very happy that this project embodies the principle of the art itself! -Shepard Make Art Not War has always been a call to action. This edition is about keeping that spirit alive, art as resistance, craft as peace, process as purpose. Collaborating with Shepard brought that message full circle, a reminder that creation itself is the protest. -Alfredo PRINT DETAILS: Make Art Not War (Painting) - Cream. 18 x 24 inches. Hand-pulled screen print on 80# cream Speckletone paper. In collaboration with Alfredo Gonzalez (Dofre). Signed by Shepard Fairey and Alfredo Gonzalez. Numbered edition of 150. Comes with a Digital Certificate of Authenticity provided by Verisart. $120.
Summary
Make Art Not War (Painting) (Cream) is a 2025 hand-pulled screen print in collaboration with Alfredo Gonzalez (Dofre). Measuring 18 x 24 inches on 80# cream Speckletone paper, it is a signed, numbered edition of 150, published by Obey Giant at $120, and signed by both Shepard Fairey and Alfredo Gonzalez. The work grew from Gonzalez making a small painting inspired by Fairey's Make Art Not War print, which led to a hybrid collaboration that became a t-shirt and these print variations. It is offered in Black and Cream editions. Each comes with a Verisart Digital Certificate of Authenticity.
Why It Matters
This print reanimates one of Fairey's most enduring slogans, Make Art Not War, through a collaboration with painter Alfredo Gonzalez (Dofre). The origin story gives it meaning: Fairey commissioned Gonzalez after discovering his work online, the two became friends, and Gonzalez gifted Fairey a small painting inspired by the original Make Art Not War print, which Fairey admired enough to propose a hybrid collaboration that became a t-shirt and these print variations. Fairey frames collaboration itself as one of the most important mechanisms of peace, so the piece embodies its own message, art as resistance and craft as peace. That self-reflexive layering distinguishes it from a simple reissue of a familiar phrase. The painterly source also gives this edition a different texture than the original graphic. As a hand-pulled screen print in a contained edition of 150, dual-signed by both artists, it is the scarcest release in this group, which heightens its appeal for collectors of Fairey's peace-themed and collaborative works. Offered in Black and Cream variants, it extends a signature anti-war motif into a fresh, co-authored form.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to collectors of Fairey's peace and anti-war works, his collaborations, and admirers of Alfredo Gonzalez (Dofre). The small edition of 150 and dual signatures make it the most contained release in this group, adding desirability for those who prioritize scarcity and provenance. The hand-pulled screen print process and painterly source give it a distinct texture, and at 18 x 24 inches it displays as a strong focal piece. Offered in Black and Cream variants, it lets collectors choose or pair versions. The Verisart certificate provides documentation, and the $120 price reflects the limited run and collaborative production. It fits collections built around Fairey's anti-war messaging or his joint projects, carrying a clear, well-documented origin story.
Historical Context
Make Art Not War (Painting) revisits a slogan central to Fairey's peace and anti-war canon, recasting it through collaboration with painter Alfredo Gonzalez (Dofre). Fairey recounts discovering Gonzalez's work online, commissioning a piece, and developing a friendship that produced a gifted painting inspired by the original Make Art Not War print, then a hybrid t-shirt and these print variations. By framing collaboration as a mechanism of peace, Fairey ties the project's process to its message. Released by Obey Giant in 2025 as a hand-pulled edition of 150, with Black and Cream variants, it extends a long-running anti-war motif into a co-authored, more crafted form, situating it within his continued output of peace-themed collaborative editions.
FAQ
How did this collaboration come about?
Fairey discovered Alfredo Gonzalez's work online, commissioned a piece, and became friends with him. Gonzalez then made a small painting inspired by Fairey's Make Art Not War print and gave it to him as a gift. Fairey suggested a hybrid collaboration, which led to a t-shirt and these print variations.
What are the specifications?
Make Art Not War (Painting) - Cream measures 18 x 24 inches and is a hand-pulled screen print on 80# cream Speckletone paper. It is signed by both Shepard Fairey and Alfredo Gonzalez and is a numbered edition of 150, published by Obey Giant at $120, with a Verisart certificate.
Are there other versions of this print?
Yes. According to the source, the edition is offered in Black and Cream variations. This record is the Cream version; the all-editions field lists both Black and Cream as available colorways of the collaboration.
What is the message behind the work?
Fairey states that collaboration is one of the most important mechanisms of peace, so the project embodies the principle of the art itself. Gonzalez adds that the edition keeps the spirit of Make Art Not War alive, framing art as resistance, craft as peace, and process as purpose.
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.