Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Shepard Fairey Print Index
A Cracked Icon (First Edition)
Work Summary & Collector Notes
A Cracked Icon is a 2024 Shepard Fairey screen print referencing David Bowie and his song "Cracked Actor." The image draws on Fairey's fascination with fragmentation and the serendipitous juxtapositions created by ripped street posters, where torn edges make unrelated images feel in conversation. Measuring 24 x 36 inches on thick cream Speckletone paper, it is a signed, numbered first edition of 550 from Obey Giant at $95, with a Verisart certificate. Fairey frames the work as both a pleasing visual and a provocation about the tension between harmony and conflict, intended as a tribute to Bowie's adventurous exploration of ego, fame, and identity.
Collector notes: First Edition; saved release record states an edition size of 550. The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature against a documented example of this edition. Gauntlet groups this work under Collaborations and pop culture for discovery; that category is a navigation aid, not an authentication conclusion.
Historical Context
In the artist's words / from the release record:
“This screen print, “A Cracked Icon,” is a reference to one of my favorite musicians, David Bowie, and his song “Cracked Actor.” I’m fascinated by how we process fragmentation and mutation, often trying to conceive a resolved whole from disparate parts. I was first intrigued by the unlikely juxtapositions of images yielded by ripped posters on the street revealing parts of unrelated images interacting with each other along organic ripped edges. Sometimes, the serendipitous placement of a rip can make two images feel like they are meant to be in conversation. I think that our brains are looking
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2024-03-07
- Release-date note
- Catalog-listed release year/date from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.
- Series
- Music Series
- Medium and materials
- Screen Print; catalog dimensions 36 x 24 in; cream Speckletone paper noted in the release description.
- Edition details
- First Edition; saved release record states an edition size of 550.
- Signature and marks
- The saved release record describes: signed; numbered. Verify each feature 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: “This screen print, “A Cracked Icon,” is a reference to one of my favorite musicians, David Bowie, and his song “Cracked Actor.” I’m fascinated by how we process fragmentation and mutation, often trying to conceive a resolved whole from disparate parts. I was first intrigued by the unlikely juxtapositions of images yielded by ripped posters on the street revealing parts of unrelated images interacting with each other along organic ripped edges. Sometimes, the serendipitous placement of a rip can make two images feel like they are meant to be in conversation. I think that our brains are looking. 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 2024-03-07 and attributes the edition to Obey Giant. It is grouped under Music Series in the saved record. The saved record notes an original release price of USD $95.00.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Shepard Fairey — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
- Shepard Fairey (Q1142847) — Wikidata · reference knowledge base · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Structured identifier used for the artist across catalog metadata.