Artist Statement
“In the War By Numbers image, a little girl cradles a grenade with a rose as bombers fly overhead. Her posture is deliberately innocent, appearing to have her eyes closed, with her lips nearly kissing the weaponry in her hands, as if a doll. The sense of danger is pervasive, with her fingers positioned on the trigger. The image asks the question, "How did war become so commonplace and banal that it seems fitting in a paint-by-numbers style image?" A portion of proceeds from this print will benefit the work Doctors Without Borders provides in wartorn regions globally. -Shepard PRINT DETAILS:? W
About This Print
War By Numbers (Letterpress) is a 2024 Shepard Fairey letterpress print published by Obey Giant, measuring 15.25 x 20.5 inches on cream cotton paper with hand-deckled edges. It is signed and numbered in an edition of 450 and was offered at $100 with an Obey publishing chop in the lower left and a Verisart digital Certificate of Authenticity. The image shows a little girl cradling a grenade with a rose as bombers fly overhead, her posture innocent yet her fingers on the trigger. Fairey asks how war became so banal it could fit a paint-by-numbers style; a portion of proceeds benefits Doctors Without Borders.
Market Context
Estimated market value: 305.0. Observed range 149.0–499.0. Latest recorded sale: Oct 28, 20. Value is the median of recorded public sales (>= $100); low-high shows the observed sale range.