Artist Statement
“Conformity: Action in accordance with some specified standard, social custom, or authority. Trance: A sleeplike state usually characterized by partly suspended, diminished, or absent sensory and motor activity. Obey as a pseudo-command in my art has always been a form of reverse psychology. My philosophy is actually "question everything". Conformity is often more unconscious than conscious… an adaptation to structures we may not agree with and a submission to unseen forces of manipulation… unseen because our eyes and minds are not open wide enough. People come up with conspiracy theories like
About This Print
Obey Conformity Trance is a 2021 screen print by Shepard Fairey that interrogates conformity and unconscious submission to unseen forces of manipulation. The source pairs definitions of conformity and trance with Fairey's explanation that OBEY functions as reverse psychology, with his actual philosophy being to question everything. The work critiques the concentration of power and influence under capitalism and advocates campaign finance reform. Measuring 18 x 24 inches and printed on thick cream Speckletone paper, it was published by Obey Giant in a numbered edition of 350, signed by Shepard Fairey. This Black edition released February 9, 2021 at $55, with proceeds benefiting RepresentUs.
Market Context
Estimated market value: 149.0. Observed range 100.0–275.0. Latest recorded sale: Nov 12, 20. Value is the median of recorded public sales (>= $100); low-high shows the observed sale range.