Artist Statement
“This image is an illustration I drew of a guy with somewhat of a creepy face, which I called "Giant Brother" as a reference to George Orwell's 1984, where the government has everyone under surveillance and their slogan is "Big Brother is watching you." I illustrated half the face and then mirrored it, and I discovered that since no face is perfectly symmetrical, the symmetry introduces an inhuman, sinister aspect to a picture that might not be as disturbing otherwise. I thought the guy looked creepy to begin with, but it turned out even scarier than I had predicted.” — Shepard Fairey
About This Print
Big Brother is a 1999 screen print, 18 x 24 inches, published by Obey Giant in a first edition of 100. Fairey describes drawing a deliberately creepy face he called Giant Brother, referencing George Orwell's 1984 and its slogan Big Brother is watching you. He illustrated half the face and mirrored it; because no face is perfectly symmetrical, the forced symmetry produces an inhuman, sinister quality. By his account, the mirrored result turned out even scarier than he predicted, fusing his Giant iconography with an Orwellian surveillance message in a single unsettling portrait.
Market Context
Estimated market value: 2121.37. Observed range 1697.09–2545.64. Latest recorded sale: 2024-01-02. Limited recorded sales. Estimate is a hypothetical projection at ~15% flat annual growth, shown as an 80-120% band; treat as indicative.