RFK Friends of Lasha by Shepard Fairey: Collector Guide, Value & What to Know
The Shepard Fairey RFK Friends of Lasha print is a compelling addition to Fairey's extensive catalog of portraiture and cultural advocacy work. Produced under the OBEY Giant studio banner, it pairs Fairey's signature propaganda-poster aesthetic with a subject that carries both political and grassroots cultural weight. Yes, this print is worth buying — it occupies the intersection of Fairey's portraiture tradition and his long-running commitment to social causes, making it attractive to collectors of both contemporary street art and politically engaged print work. For buyers seeking documented provenance, direct OBEY Giant studio authentication, and a print with genuine narrative depth, this piece merits serious consideration.
About RFK & Friends of Lasha
Robert F. Kennedy remains one of the most mythologized figures in American political history — a senator, attorney general, and 1968 presidential candidate whose assassination cut short what many believed would be a transformative presidency. His legacy is inseparable from the civil rights movement, his vocal opposition to the Vietnam War, and his ability to speak directly to communities that had been left behind by mainstream politics. For Fairey, whose career has always engaged with power, protest, and the imagery of resistance, RFK represents an ideal subject: a figure of institutional authority who nonetheless embodied a spirit of rebellion and reform that resonates across generations.
Friends of Lasha is a grassroots initiative connected to advocacy and community organizing, operating in the spirit of causes RFK championed during his political career. Fairey has a long history of lending his visual language to social movements — from the iconic Barack Obama "Hope" poster to his work supporting environmental and anti-war causes — and the Friends of Lasha collaboration fits squarely within that lineage. By anchoring the print in RFK's imagery, Fairey draws a direct line between the political urgency of the 1960s and contemporary calls for systemic change. The dual cultural valence — historical American politics and present-day advocacy — gives this print a depth that single-subject portraits sometimes lack.
The Print — What You Are Getting
This is a hand-pulled screen print produced by the OBEY Giant studio, Fairey's Los Angeles-based operation that has printed and published his limited editions since the late 1990s. Standard Fairey screen prints in this format are produced in editions typically ranging from 150 to 450, with some special colorway variants released in smaller quantities of 50 to 100. The dimensions are 18 x 24 inches — the format Fairey has used for the majority of his signed, numbered releases, optimized for standard framing.
Visually, expect Fairey's trademark propaganda-poster vocabulary: bold graphic linework, a restricted but high-contrast color palette, and the monumental framing of the subject that recalls Soviet constructivist posters and WPA-era American print art. His portraiture typically combines photographic source material with heavy graphic abstraction, stripping the subject down to iconic visual shorthand. The OBEY wordmark and the iconic star motif are integrated into the composition, as is standard for studio releases. The overall effect is a print that reads as both a portrait and a political statement — which is the defining quality of Fairey's most collected work.
Authentication and Provenance
Authentication for Shepard Fairey prints is straightforward when the paperwork is in order. OBEY Giant studio documentation is the recognized standard — no third-party certificate of authenticity is required or considered meaningful by the collector community. What matters is the physical print documentation itself:
- Pencil signature by Shepard Fairey, lower right corner
- Hand-written edition number (e.g., 87/350) in pencil, lower left or lower right
- OBEY blind-deboss seal pressed into the paper stock — the raised tactile impression is the primary physical authentication marker
- Original OBEY Giant studio packaging or provenance documentation where available
Third-party graders such as CGC, PSA, or JSA do not have established grading programs for Fairey screen prints and their certificates add no value in this market. Buyers should be cautious of prints offered with generic COAs from unknown issuers — the blind-deboss and pencil signature are the marks that matter. Gauntlet Gallery verifies all three authentication markers before listing any Fairey work.
Value in Context
Fairey prints span an enormous price range depending on the subject, edition size, condition, and cultural moment. Broadly, his signed and numbered screen prints trade from a few hundred dollars at the entry level to several thousand for culturally anchored subjects in small editions. Politically themed Fairey works — particularly those tied to historically significant American figures — tend to command premiums over purely decorative or music-themed pieces, because they attract a collector base that extends beyond the street art market into political ephemera, historical portraiture, and social history collecting.
The RFK Friends of Lasha print benefits from this dynamic. RFK imagery carries weight with collectors of Americana, 1960s political history, and Kennedy-era memorabilia — a collector base that overlaps only partially with the OBEY Giant street art market, meaning demand can come from multiple directions. Prints tied to advocacy organizations also tend to have stronger community retention (prints stay within the cause's supporter network longer, reducing secondary market supply). Contact Gauntlet Gallery directly for current pricing on this specific edition — values shift with condition, edition number, and market timing.
FAQ
Is the Shepard Fairey RFK Friends of Lasha print authentic?
Authenticity is established by three physical markers on all genuine OBEY Giant studio releases: a pencil signature by Fairey, a hand-written edition number, and an OBEY blind-deboss seal. No third-party COA is required. Gauntlet Gallery verifies all three before listing.
What is it worth?
Signed and numbered Fairey screen prints in 18x24 format typically trade between $300 and $2,500 on the secondary market. Politically themed works tied to significant American historical figures trend toward the upper range. Contact Gauntlet Gallery for current pricing.
Where can I buy it?
Gauntlet Gallery maintains authenticated Fairey inventory with full provenance documentation. Contact us directly for availability on this specific print.
For a comprehensive overview of Shepard Fairey's print market, authentication standards, and collector strategy, see our Shepard Fairey Collector Guide.
