Artist Statement
“Since 1998, references to "1984," George Orwell's cautionary tale about a totalitarian state, have appeared in Fairey's work including several iterations of Big Brother. In 2008, Penguin Books (UK) approached Fairey to design the cover of Orwell's classic books "Animal Farm" and "1984." Fairey uses one of the most memorable phrases from the book, "Big Brother is Watching You," combined with the image of a menacing eye, to remind us that the technology society has grown to depend on is being used to monitor, register and influence our activity. The artist's use of Big Brother to urge citizens
About This Print
Big Brother Is Watching You is a 2019 large-format screen print by Shepard Fairey, published by Obey Giant in a signed, numbered edition of 89, measuring 30 x 41 inches on Coventry Rag 100% cotton archival paper with hand-deckled edges. The image pairs the iconic phrase from George Orwell's "1984" with a menacing eye to warn that the technology society depends on is used to monitor and influence behavior. Fairey draws an explicit parallel between Orwell's vision of a totalitarian surveillance state and contemporary realities of corporate and state data collection, urging viewers to question how convenience trades against privacy and freedom.
Market Context
Estimated market value: 525.0. Observed range 280.0–2444.0. Latest recorded sale: 2026-04-15. Value is the median of recorded public sales (>= $100); low-high shows the observed sale range.