Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Shepard Fairey Print Index
Lenin
Work Summary & Collector Notes
Lenin is a 1997 screen print by Shepard Fairey, published by Obey Giant in a First Edition of 100, measuring 18 x 24 inches on paper. Per Fairey's own statement in the record, it was the first image in which he tonally superimposed the OBEY star behind a portrait so the two aligned, making the star feel like part of the Lenin portrait. He describes this as a deliberate exercise in the power of suggestion and manipulation, designed to make viewers question the assumptions and associations they bring to an image. It pairs portraiture with consumerism/power and OBEY iconography themes.
Collector notes: First Edition; saved release record states an edition size of 100. Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition. Gauntlet groups this work under Consumerism and power for discovery; that category is a navigation aid, not an authentication conclusion.
Historical Context
In the artist's words / from the release record:
“Lenin Screen Print 18 inches by 24 inches Edition of: 100 This portrait of Lenin was the first image where I tonally superimposed the Obey star behind a portrait so that the two lined up, and it actually works really well, where you almost feel like the star is part of the Lenin portrait. The power of suggestion, once the two are superimposed over each other, is just another form of manipulation: after a lot of people saw this poster, they assumed that the Obey star was an original aspect of the Lenin portrait. Part of what I'm trying to do is get people to question their assumptions. Since t
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 1997
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year/date from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Series
- Portrait Series
- Medium and materials
- Screen Print; catalog dimensions 24 x 18 in.
- Edition details
- First Edition; saved release record states an edition size of 100.
- Signature and marks
- Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition.
Documented History and Meaning
History note: Shepard Fairey's OBEY / Andre the Giant campaign began in 1989 and grew into a long print and public-art practice; this page treats that as career context, not proof that this specific edition belongs to any single exhibition.
Meaning / interpretation: In the artist's or release record's own words: “Lenin Screen Print 18 inches by 24 inches Edition of: 100 This portrait of Lenin was the first image where I tonally superimposed the Obey star behind a portrait so that the two lined up, and it actually works really well, where you almost feel like the star is part of the Lenin portrait. The power of suggestion, once the two are superimposed over each other, is just another form of manipulation: after a lot of people saw this poster, they assumed that the Obey star was an original aspect of the Lenin portrait. Part of what I'm trying to do is get people to question their assumptions. Since t. This can be read as the documented intent for the work; no additional endorsement is assumed. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.
Release context: The saved catalog lists 1997 and attributes the edition to Obey Giant. It is grouped under Portrait Series in the saved record.
Authentication, Presentation and Provenance
- Original presentation
- Original packaging or presentation was not documented in the release sources reviewed.
- Authentication note
- Compare the support, dimensions, edition number, and signature against a documented example of this edition. Gauntlet Gallery does not authenticate works purchased from third parties.
- Provenance note
- Edition origin is attributed in the saved record to Obey Giant. That does not establish the ownership history of an individual copy: retain the original invoice, reseller or gallery paperwork, labels, correspondence, and condition photographs.
Sources and Verification
Verification status: Secondary catalog snapshot; artist-level context added
- Saved release record — Art Collectorz · secondary catalog snapshot · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Starting record for title, date, edition, dimensions, medium, release price, and release description. Primary confirmation against the original release page remains pending.
- About — Shepard Fairey / OBEY GIANT — Obey Giant · primary artist source · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Official OBEY GIANT artist biography and career context; it is not an individual-edition record.
- Shepard Fairey — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
- Shepard Fairey (Q1142847) — Wikidata · reference knowledge base · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Structured identifier used for the artist across catalog metadata.
Market Context
- Estimated value. The median of recorded public sale prices for this piece, matched by title and colorway. We use the median (not the average) because it resists outliers.
- Min / max sale. The lowest and highest individual recorded sale prices; the range shows dispersion, not a guaranteed band.
- Recorded comps. The number of independent comparable sales; reliability rises with sample size (1–2 sales are indicative only).
- Liquidity & sales volume. Our liquidity rating reflects sales velocity — the number of recorded comparable sales and how recent the latest sale is. More frequent and more recent sales rate as more liquid (Highly Liquid → Liquid → Moderate → Thin → Very Thin); a piece with no recorded public sales is Extremely Rare.
- Estimate confidence. A traffic-light read on how well the data supports the estimate: green high, yellow medium, red low / indicative.
- Data source & currency. Compiled from recorded public marketplace and auction sales of US$200 or more, in US dollars, as of the latest recorded sale shown. Coverage is not exhaustive.
- Not financial or investment advice. For collector reference only — not an appraisal, offer, or guarantee of resale value. Art is volatile and illiquid; do your own research. Use is subject to our Terms & Conditions.