Gauntlet Gallery — Complete Shepard Fairey Print Index
Paint It Black - Hand
Work Summary & Collector Notes
When I was working on the Paint it Black poster concept I tried several approaches, as I do with every poster, but instead of only one successful direction, I felt I found two solutions for Paint it Black. Both versions are inspired by the Rolling Stones song, but the first version was fashioned more after a vintage newspaper ad, while the Paint it Black Hand has a bit more of a propaganda feel. Regardless, they are both about oil dictating too much of our energy policy and our foreign policy. Imagine if all the money spent on wars and strategic interests in the Middle East had been spent on developing green energy alternatives. Instead, our government subsidizes the highly profitable oil and gas industries for $40 billion a year because no politician wants a rise in the price of gas to be blamed on them. Newsflash: we are still paying more for gas whether it’s at the pump or through our taxes. The need for gas will remain, but we need to invest in sustainable energy alternatives as we transition off of the finite supply of fossil fuels that are also terrible for CO2 emissions. Proceeds from this print will go to the NRDC to support their efforts to shape responsible environmental policy. Thanks for caring.
Collector notes: Edition of 450; saved release record states an edition size of 450. 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 Politics and democracy for discovery; that category is a navigation aid, not an authentication conclusion.
Documented Release Details
- Object type
- Editioned screenprint
- Release date
- 2014
- 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 18 x 24 inches.
- Edition details
- Edition of 450; saved release record states an edition size of 450.
- 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 2014 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
- 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.