Artist Statement
“I made the Saddam Hussein image in 1997 based on a photo I found in a magazine. In the photo, a crowd of soldiers carries a portrait of Saddam, in which he's smiling and looks very benevolent and fatherly. I found it interesting to see the contrast between The ways he's presented in Iraq and the U.S., where he's glorified on one hand and vilified on the other, and I can only imagine that the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Looking at the picture over the past few years, I've often thought about the similarities between the representations of Saddam and George Bush in their respective coun
About This Print
Saddam is a 1998 Shepard Fairey screen print published by Obey Giant in a first edition of 100, measuring 18 x 24 inches. The image appropriates a found magazine photo of Saddam Hussein in which the Iraqi leader appears benevolent and fatherly, as he was glorified domestically. Fairey rendered it in his high-contrast propaganda-poster style to highlight the contrast between how Saddam was presented in Iraq versus how he was vilified in the U.S. Fairey has explained the work explores how images are manipulated for political goals, and how merely using an image leads many viewers to wrongly assume the artist endorses its subject.
Market Context
Estimated market value: 1230.56. Observed range 984.45–1476.67. Latest recorded sale: 2025-11-26. Limited recorded sales. Estimate is a hypothetical projection at ~15% flat annual growth, shown as an 80-120% band; treat as indicative.