Obey TV

Work Summary & Collector Notes

I made the Obey TV Advertisement print in 1996, inspired by a few things. I was a fan of Barbara Kruger’s economical but potent combinations of image and text typified by a red bar with bold Futura text in white. I also was fascinated by Marshall McLuhan’s concept of “the medium is the message,” which suggests that the ways forms of media are digested lend to a style and formula of messaging for success to such an extent that the message mutates to best adapt to the style and medium of delivery. Television is a great example since it is received passively and laden with catchy soundbites and snappy clips meant to be fast, easy, and pleasing to digest. Ads are nothing more than a device woven into the entertainment rhythm with a sales agenda. I made a skateboard film in 1995 called A.D.D. Attention Deficiency Disorder (I shortly after realized the actual clinical term is Attention Deficit Disorder… oh well) which focused on skateboarding and the idea that the overwhelming inundation of media was making us a bit more anxious and shortening our attention spans. I enjoyed the irony of commenting on media over-saturation while also contributing to media over-saturation. Things have only become more intense in the age of social media. I’m a big fan of using a plethora of media to spread art and ideas, but I think carefully about the pros and cons of various media forms and how they can influence content. I want to empower myself and others with digital tools while avoiding the race-to-the-bottom approach. We all benefit as consumers and creators from an awareness of the inherent characteristics of different forms of media. In 1996 I was just beginning to think in a deeper way about some of these concepts.

Collector notes: Edition label was not stated, and total quantity was not documented in the saved record. Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering against a documented example of this edition. Gauntlet groups this work under Consumerism and power for discovery; that category is a navigation aid, not an authentication conclusion.

Documented Release Details

Object type

Editioned screenprint

Release date

1996

Release-date note

Catalog-listed release year/date from the saved secondary record; primary release-page confirmation remains pending.

Medium and materials

Screen Print; catalog dimensions 24 x 18 inches.

Edition details

Edition label was not stated, and total quantity was not documented in the saved record.

Signature and marks

Edition-specific signature, numbering, and stamp details were not stated in the saved release record. Verify signing and numbering 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: Fairey's practice combines propaganda-style imagery, political and countercultural themes, and a recurring OBEY vocabulary. Subject-specific intent is not assumed here unless the release record states it. This interpretive note follows the cited artist or publisher context.

Release context: The saved catalog lists 1996 and attributes the edition to Obey Giant.

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Shepard Fairey — Wikipedia · reference encyclopedia · Accessed 2026-07-13 · General artist-level biographical and career reference.
4. Shepard Fairey (Q1142847) — Wikidata · reference knowledge base · Accessed 2026-07-13 · Structured identifier used for the artist across catalog metadata.