Artist Statement
“Legendary reggae producer and pioneer of the dub sound, Lee "Scratch" Perry, passed away on August 29. I first discovered Lee Perry when I got deep into Bob Marley and the Wailers and found out Perry had produced several seminal Wailers tracks. I also loved the Clash song "Police and Thieves," which I learned was a cover of Jamaican artist Junior Murvin which Lee Perry had produced. Perry also co-produced the song "Complete Control" by the Clash. Perry made a ton of great music with his band, the Upsetters, as well as collaborating with a range of artists from King Tubby, to Adrian Sherwood,
About This Print
Scratch On The Wire is a 2021 screen print by Shepard Fairey honoring reggae producer and dub pioneer Lee Scratch Perry, who died on August 29, 2021. Published by Obey Giant, it is a 24 x 24 inch screen print on thick cream Speckletone paper, based on 1970s photographs of Perry in his Black Ark studio by Dennis Morris, and signed by both Fairey and Morris in a numbered edition of 600 at a release price of $95. Fairey's text recounts discovering Perry through Bob Marley and the Wailers and the Clash, and describes capturing the visual and sonic energy of Perry at work. The square image is a memorial portrait of Perry in his studio.
Market Context
Estimated market value: 162.5. Observed range 100.0–200.0. Latest recorded sale: 2025-12-04. Value is the median of recorded public sales (>= $100); low-high shows the observed sale range.