Suit (Red)

Work Summary & Collector Notes

Suit (Red) is a 1999 Shepard Fairey screen print, published by Obey Giant as a first edition of 100, measuring 18 x 24 inches, issued in a red colorway. The image derives from a photograph Fairey took in San Francisco of a paste-up of a suited man holding a sign, over which he pasted one of his Obey posters; the businessman's head had already been scratched out. The work combines a faceless figure of corporate authority with the Obey identity, exploring how power propagates through images whose true source remains unseen. It is a hand-pulled screen print engaging consumerism, power, and Obey iconography.

Collector notes: First Edition · Red; 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:

“SUIT RED Screen Print 18 x 24 inches Edition of 100 This image came from a photograph I took in San Francisco. There was a paste-up of a guy in a suit holding a sign, and I pasted one of my 11 x 17? Obey posters over the sign. Someone had already scratched the head of the businessman, which was interesting because I noticed a lot of the Obey images I put up would be scratched immediately. I guess people don’t like to be told to obey, so they react by scratching out the image. In the case of this businessman, someone apparently didn’t like whatever he represented so they scratched him out. I t

Documented Release Details

Object type

Editioned screenprint

Release date

1999

Release-date note

Catalog-listed release year/date from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.

Series

OBEY Icon Series

Medium and materials

Screen Print; catalog dimensions 24 x 18 in.

Edition details

First Edition · Red; 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: “SUIT RED Screen Print 18 x 24 inches Edition of 100 This image came from a photograph I took in San Francisco. There was a paste-up of a guy in a suit holding a sign, and I pasted one of my 11 x 17? Obey posters over the sign. Someone had already scratched the head of the businessman, which was interesting because I noticed a lot of the Obey images I put up would be scratched immediately. I guess people don’t like to be told to obey, so they react by scratching out the image. In the case of this businessman, someone apparently didn’t like whatever he represented so they scratched him out. I 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 1999 and attributes the edition to Obey Giant. It is grouped under OBEY Icon 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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Shepard Fairey — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
4. Shepard Fairey (Q1142847) — Wikidata · reference knowledge base · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Structured identifier used for the artist across catalog metadata.